Blackpool striker Armand Gnanduillet fights to be fit for FA Cup tie with Maidstone United

The striker, who is suffering with a thigh injury he picked up in the recent win against AFC Wimbledon, missed his second game running in midweek.

The Frenchman could be back in time for Sunday’s second round tie at Bloomfield Road, but Grayson was unable to provide any assurances.

“He was never going to be fit (for Wednesday’s EFL Trophy game against Scunthorpe United), although his thigh is making progress,” the Pool boss told The Gazette.

“We’ll see where he is for the weekend but this game was never going to be a consideration.

“If he was fit he’d have been around it but he wasn’t. He wasn’t being rested or anything like that.

“We’ll see where he is for the weekend.”

The Seasiders will be hoping to avoid an embarrassing cup exit to a side that ply their trade in the National League South.

Grayson will be keen to see a reaction from his side after publicly blasting the players that featured in the midweek defeat in the EFL Trophy.

That loss brought an end to Pool’s seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

“Players have played themselves out of contention,” Grayson said.

“You pick a team at the weekend that obviously wants to win the game and I want to see a reaction the next time we’re in training.

“I want to see them be professional, play with a purpose, training with an edge, because we had no edge to us on Wednesday.

“Over the last few weeks when we’ve had good results we played with an edge both with and without the ball. We didn’t have it this time.

“We wanted to win the game and carry on the momentum and try and keep progressing and win as many matches as is possible.

“I don’t mind losing matches if you lose it with a purpose in terms of working hard, closing down and trying to outrun the opposition. But we didn’t do that.”