HATEM Ben Arfa has been warned he must accept responsibility for his recent failings if a season-long loan with Hull City is to run its course.
Events of the last fortnight have thrown Ben Arfa's future at the KC Stadium into doubt, with the forward's relationship with manager Steve Bruce quickly becoming strained.
After being hauled off during the 3-0 loss at Manchester United after just 35 minutes nine days ago, the French international has been left out of the squad entirely in the two games that have followed against Everton and West Brom.
Bruce strenuously denied reports of a bust-up with Ben Arfa but, perhaps tellingly, gave no guarantees the loan deal with Newcastle United would not be terminated in January.
Instead, the City boss has promised a review of Ben Arfa's future in the New Year, when the Tigers could take the step of sending the playmaker back to St James' Park
"As far as I'm concerned, there's no bust-up in any dressing room," said Bruce after Saturday's 0-0 draw with West Brom, dismissing stories of a flashpoint at Old Trafford seven days earlier.
"I expect him to be disappointed. It's not often you make a substitution after 35 minutes. Playing in front of 75,000 on the biggest stage in the world and the manager brings you off, I don't expect him to be happy.
"However, I felt it was needed. That's what I felt at the time and nothing's going to change me.
"It's my job to pick him and if I see on merit that he's working hard through the week, wants to repair the damage, which he's got to accept, then OK, fine. He didn't earn enough at Old Trafford to be amongst the substitutes. There's no doubt he's got ability but that's not enough at this level."
Asked about Ben Arfa's future beyond the end of 2014, Bruce added: "We've got four weeks up to January and I could lose three or four (players) next week. Then there's a chance he might be back in. We'll see what January brings. We'll have a sit down and see where we all are."
City laboured to a goal-less stalemate with West Brom in the absence of Ben Arfa.
It needed Allan McGregor's first-half penalty save, keeping out Graham Dorrans, to earn the Tigers a point, but QPR's win over Burnley dragged City back into the bottom three in the Premier League.
A trip to league-leaders Chelsea this weekend offers no respite but Bruce has called for patience from supporters.
He said: "We've created an expectation. Supporters expect us to turn up and beat West Brom. We've created that expectation. There's a disappointment that it hasn't quite worked.
"We're still in there, it's not as if we're cut adrift. We're only 18 months, playing in the big league and we were up against a team who have been in it for years today.
"The supporters, rightly so, are not happy. Apparently they're all driving off the Humber Bridge.
"What you do need is to stay together, stay positive and try not to beat yourself up too much. I'm convinced we've got enough here to do better than we did last year."
