Hibernian head coach David Gray has challenged Élie Youan to 'be on it more often', after handing him a surprise recall to the starting XI for Sunday's Edinburgh derby against Hearts. 

Prior to the weekend, the French forward had only made one Scottish Premiership start under Gray - in the 2-0 victory over St Johnstone in September, when he was subbed off at the interval. But he returned to the team for the visit of Neil Critchley's side and played 61 minutes, showing glimpses of his talent but ultimately failing to light up the fixture in the way he did at Tynecastle a little over a year ago, when he scored two goals in 83 seconds to earn Hibs a point after they were 2-0 down early in the second half. 

But with the 25-year-old still getting up to speed following an injury picked up during the Premier Sports Cup group stages in July, Gray is keen to get the former Nantes youngster firing on all cylinders once again - particularly after a protracted transfer non-saga in the summer, in which he was linked with a move away but ended up staying at the club, and a series of unsavoury incidents with supporters on social media and one instance of racial abuse. 

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"The one thing he's not had is a lot of games recently. I'd have liked a bit more from everybody in terms of that attacking sense; we had opportunities when we could have been better," Gray said, as he previewed the midweek trip to Dingwall to face Ross County. 

"Everybody showed appetite and good energy levels; I think the game was a little bit scrappy and there were moments in the game where we lacked a bit of quality when we could have been better in certain situations but Élie is someone who, when he's on it, he's got all the attributes to be really, really effective and we need to see that more often."

Asked how he had managed Youan since the summer, Gray said he had tried to be 'consistent and honest' with the player.

"Throughout the whole process, I was treating him as if he was a Hibs player and would have until he wasn't, and I never changed that stance with him," the head coach explained.

"My job is about trying to make every single player better so whilst he was still in the building, that was my full focus - how can I improve him, because if he doesn't move on, I need him as an asset, so how can he positively affect the group?

"That hasn't changed regardless of speculation about his future and at this moment in time, he's a Hibs player and until that changes, it's my job to try and make him better."

The club issued a statement condemning the racial abuse sent to the player, which Youan highlighted on his own social media, and Gray branded it 'unacceptable'.

"I see Élie every day in training, I see all the boys in training and I see how they train and I think it's a credit to everyone involved that during tough times we stick together. I'm very supportive of Élie and the situations he's found himself in recently, which have at times been unacceptable, but he has always trained with a smile on his face.

"As long as he's in a position where he's doing that and he's willing to put his hand up to try to get on the pitch and try to benefit the team, then he's available for selection."