Manchester City have been linked with Aaron Wan-Bissaka according to the Sun, and he would be perfect for Guardiola’s champions.

The 21-year-old has been a revelation at right-back for Crystal Palace this season, demonstrating his high work rate and quality at both ends of his flank. The youngster has all the traits of a typical Guardiola full back. Fast, high energy, good delivery and calm on the ball.

City have Danilo and Kyle Walker down that side at the moment and neither have impressed massively. Walker, of course, played a large part in City’s title triumph last season, but his passing is often wayward and his final ball into the box, is poor. Danilo is just simply inconsistent.

Full-backs are key in Guardiola’s system because they either tuck inside, flooding the midfield and creating space for the wingers, or, when used as wing backs, fly down the touchline and pepper balls into the box to set up tap-ins.

Benjamin Mendy is a prime example of the perfect full-back for these tactics, but annoyingly for City, he’s been injured for most of the one and a half seasons he’s been at the Etihad Stadium. Wan-Bissaka could be the man to carry out those duties on the opposite side, causing havoc for opposition fullbacks and even central midfielders.

Being so young is also a major positive for Guardiola who is looking to set City up an era of dominance in England and on the continent. Younger players are far easier to mould to a system than more developed players who some could say are stuck in their ways. The fact he’s English also helps City meet the home-grown quota for Champions League and Premier League squad sizes.

If City can land Wan-Bissaka in the summer, it would be a great investment for the future and also provide Guardiola with a right-back capable of carrying out Guardiola’s plans better than Kyle Walker is doing.

Do you think Wan-Bissaka should join City?

A new setback struck Leeds United last week as it emerged Kemar Roofe picked up a knee injury during their 2-1 win over Swansea City.

The Whites will now miss their main man for their next few weeks, which could be a problem, considering how tight the Championship title race is getting.

While Leeds face relegation contenders Bolton Wanderers at home next and won’t miss Roofe much, the games following it are the real headaches. While youngsters Jamie Shackleton and Jordan Stevens are primed to make an impact for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, creating the sort of impact Roofe does will be extremely difficult.

Roofe’s not only been their goal-scoring hero, but also the drive for allowing Bielsa’s attractive style to come into effect. He’s scored 14 goals for them this season(stats via Transfermarkt), always popping up with key goals to win them matches. With games against promotional rivals, West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City on the horizon, Roofe’s lack of presence can be telling.

While Bielsa is clever enough to shuffle around his options to make up his absence, it’ll be difficult for anyone to replicate Roofe’s influence in games. Leeds can now only hope Roofe can work with the medical staff and recover from his nagging issues soon.

As Leeds United head into the final stretch, they’ll need their impactful attacking midfielder to be fully raring to go. If Roofe’s injury issues end up causing a long lay-off, Leeds’ chances of winning the Championship will hit a major roadblock.

West Ham need to maintain their consistency if they consider themselves to have any chance of obtaining seventh place this season.

With the Hammers right in the mix with several other teams, there hasn’t been a season where so many sides have all been challenging for Europe.

Manuel Pellegrini has put together a good group of players who he must believe have the capabilities to finish higher than just mid-table, he wants them to strive for more.

There is still a chance of that this season but, with the ability to strengthen over the summer once more, West Ham could be a far stronger side should Pellegrini again get the players he desires.

A right-back is cropping up to be a position of need for the Hammers and Lyon’s Kenny Tete could be the man to fill that role for them.

Tete, (who is valued at £7.2 million on Transfermarkt) has found regular game-time hard to come by this season, something that could change with a move to the Premier League and to West Ham.

With 14 appearances this season, the 23-year-old has been replaced at right-back and is used on a rotation basis.

Whether he is used at right-back, centre-back or left-back where he can also play is up to Manuel Pellegrini’s choosing but Kenny Tete could do a stern job for West Ham in a number of different roles.

The former Holland international has shown his quality by being capped by his country an impressive 12 times and with regular appearances for West Ham, a recall could be in-line.

If game time is what he is after, West Ham are a club looking to improve and he could be part of how they would do it.

Do you agree… Let us know!

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Aston Villa are right in the hunt for a play-off place in the Championship this season and they may have received an injury boost just at the right time with Henri Lansbury returning to full training at the beginning of the week.

Birmingham Live reported that he was back on Monday afternoon before Villa confirmed the news via their Twitter account.

However, despite his imminent return to first team action, some Villa supporters have used the opportunity to take a dig at the midfielder’s injury history, rather than looking forward to him getting back on the pitch.

The Mirror understands that Lansbury is on £40,000 and given he’s barely played, he hasn’t exactly warranted that figure. As a result, a certain supporter took the opportunity to claim he owes the club for the last couple of years.

The former Nottingham Forest man appeared as a substitute in the Second City derby back in November when Villa beat Birmingham in the Championship, only to hobble off just eight minutes later with a hamstring issue.

It’s an injury problem that certain segments of Villa supporters have now used against the 28-year-old who hasn’t shown his true promise after arriving in 2017.

Lansbury has played only three times in all competitions this season, making just one start, which came in Villa’s Carabao Cup defeat to Burton back in August. The Arsenal academy graduate has struggled with injury all season, making as few as two substitute appearances since.

Injury setbacks have been a theme of Lansbury’s spell with the Midlands club, with the midfielder featuring in just ten league games last campaign too.

Here’s what the Villa Park faithful had to say.

Everton have been far from perfect in the Premier League in recent times as they continue to disappoint, with no win in their last three games. 

The Toffees will need to get a move on if they are to stand any chance of achieving their European dreams this season, as the likes of Watford and Wolverhampton Wanderers currently hold a healthy lead.

However, it appears as if the Merseyside club have one eye on trying to secure a possible summer deal, as according to Correio da Manha (via Sport Witness), Yacine Brahimi has received an offer from Everton.

Indeed, the Toffees could definitely do with bringing in another attacker as Theo Walcott has been less than impressive in the current campaign, with a number of supporters getting tired of seeing him on the field.

It’s safe to say that securing the services of Brahimi would provide the Toffees with enough cover out wide to be able to pack Walcott’s bags and send him on his way, which would come as a huge relief for many supporters.

Yacine Brahimi has all the ingredients to become a star in the Premier League as he’s established himself as one of Europe’s most dangerous attackers in years gone by, and he has nine goals and six assists in the current campaign.

He could offer so much quality on either flank for Everton, with pace to burn, an incredible amount of skill and the ability to find the back of the net and create for his teammates. Brahimi could easily take Everton’s attack to the next level and he’d soon eradicate their current issues in the final third, so Marcel Brands must seal a summer deal.

However, it will be extremely difficult for the Toffees to bring him to Goodison Park as the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal are also reportedly (as per Correio da Manha) interested in signing the Algerian international.

Everton fans – thoughts?

شدد النجم الجزائري، رياض محرز، جناح فريق مانشستر سيتي، على صعوبة مواجهة فريقه السابق، ليستر سيتي في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

مانشستر سيتي يستقبل مساء الأحد، في تمام الساعة الخامسة والنصف مساءً نظيره ليستر، على ملعب “الاتحاد”، بالجولة الثالثة من البريميرليج.

وقال محرز في تصريحات نقلتها شبكة “سبورتس مول” البريطانية: “عندما أنظر للوراء أرى أنّ ما حققته مع ليستر سيتي، لا يُصدق، كل شيء حققناه كمجموعة من اللاعبين وكنادٍ، الأمر كان مُذهلًا، قضيت أوقاتًا جيدة في ليستر”.

وأضاف: “أعتقد أنّ مباراة الغد، ستكون صعبة للغاية، كلا الفريقين كانا جيدين في الموسم الماضي، ولديهما لاعبين جيدين، لا أعرف كيف سنعلب المباراة، ولكنها ستكون صعبة بكل تأكيد”.

أقرأ أيضًا.. محرز: ليفربول كان أفضل من مانشستر سيتي الموسم الماضي.. ونعرف كيفية الفوز بالبريميرليج

وواصل: “ليستر مُنذ أربع أو خمس سنوات، كان فريقًا رائعًا، ستكون مباراة صعبة بشكل لا يُصدق”.

وتابع: “غدًا سنلعب على أرضنا، وعلى الرغم من الغيابات التي لدينا، لكنني أرى الفريق جيدًا حقًا”.

وأتم تصريحاته: “نحن في مانشستر سيتي، لدينا العديد من اللاعبين الشباب وهم يُساعدوننا كثيرًا، لدينا مجموعة استثنائية قادرة على تحقيق شيء جيد يوم الأحد”.

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West Ham may soon have another English legend to sing songs about, as Declan Rice has officially declared his desire to represent England at the international level.

Rice has confirmed he will no longer represent Republic of Ireland at international level, despite earning three caps for the men in green already.

The decision is sure to attract a lot of controversy, at least from one side of the Irish Sea.

Via a statement on his official Twitter account, the 20 year-old told fans on Wednesday that it was an “extremely difficult decision” and thanked the Irish coaching staff for their support.

Former Wigan & Fulham man, Jimmy Bullard recently showed that he’s still got it! Check out the video below…

While it remains to be seen when or even if he will be called into Gareth Southgate’s England squad, it sure feels like only a matter of time.

The versatile youngster showed his hand as a centre back last season, but has really excelled since moving into midfield under Manuel Pellegrini.

England have been crying out for a controlled and physical presence in the midfield who can dominate both athletically and technically, and Rice may have all the tools to do just that.

Make no mistake about it, this could be a hugely beneficial decision for the youngster if he keeps his current rate of improvement.

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West Ham United fell to a shock defeat at the weekend, losing 2-0 to Cardiff City as their ambitions of a top-seven finish sustained a serious blow.

The loss was accompanied by a mediocre performance, too, which will have infuriated manager Manuel Pellegrini.

Goals from Junior Hoilett and Victor Camarasa proved decisive and Pellegrini’s back is likely to be up as West Ham prepare to face Huddersfield Town in a game that could be another banana skin in waiting.

Football FanCast has taken a look at two suggested solutions to ensure the Irons do not slip on it…

Drop Hernandez

Javier Hernandez simply cannot play as a lone striker.

Playing up top on his own against the Bluebirds, Hernandez failed to register a single shot on goal, per WhoScored.

Moreover, he touched the ball just 29 times, the lowest of any Hammers player, and also committed two fouls.

A dive in an attempt to win a penalty was nothing short of a disgrace and it does not make sense for Pellegrini to keep picking him.

Marko Arnautovic is a far better option through the middle and should start against Huddersfield.

Bring back Antonio

Robert Snodgrass always toils admirably for the cause for the Hammers and few can argue with his application.

However, his execution against Cardiff left rather a lot to be desired.

Playing on the right wing, the Scotland international did not complete a single dribble, nor did he manage a shot on target.

It is all the more baffling that he completed the 90 minutes when Michail Antonio was sat on the bench.

Antonio was eventually thrown on in the hope of salvaging the game and he should start against Huddersfield.

Not only is he a more effective carrier of the ball he is also quicker, more skilful, and a better finisher.

Bringing him back is something of a no-brainer.

Arsenal have been fairly solid under new manager Unai Emery and, as the Spaniard is approaching his third transfer window with the Gunners, we look to who he can bring in to improve in the weaker areas of his current side.

Indeed, the North London side have certainly looked good in patches, though there is quite clearly a gulf in class when it comes to battling the real big boys. Despite all the talent he has available to him, Emery isn’t blessed with a squad as good as Manchester City’s or Liverpool’s and the project in play at the Emirates obviously needs some big backing if they’re going to close the gap.

With that in mind – considering what we’ve seen so far – here’s a look at two options the club should be considering ahead of the summer window.

Kai Havertz 

Kai Havertz has been one of the many wonderkids in the Bundesliga this season. Providing 9 goals and 4 assists in the league, the young German talent could be a worthy replacement if the eventual exit of Mesut Özil is to finally happen in the summer, as was touted by Calciomercato some time ago.

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder has had many highlights this season, he has managed to bag himself 2 goals in one game on more than one occasion, 2-6 away win at Werder Bremen and a 3-1 home win against Hertha Berlin. as well as proving effective against the smaller German clubs.

This season alone, Havertz has shown that he could be of real use in the Arsenal midfield and with the help of Matteo Guendouzi, they could form a long term alliance and bring a balance of strength and creativity to the middle of Arsenals midfield once again.

Denis Suarez 

Already with the Gunners on loan from Barcelona, it could be argued that they already have a key summer signing wearing the jersey. Since joining in January, the 25-year-old has found it hard to get some real game time under Unai Emery, however with this and given more time, the Spanish midfielder could prove to be one of the signings of the window if given a permanent deal.

Seeing as he is being given time to adjust to the Premier League in the closing months and been shown the way Emery wants his team to play, this is like a 3-month training programme for next season.

Everton are not doing quite as well as many feel they should be this season under Marco Silva, with plenty of their big names failing to live up to expectations as it stands.

The pressure is building on the Toffees manager, who is struggling to get any sort of consistency from his squad, and there glaring gaps of quality in the starting XI which could well need to be addressed when the market opens in the summer.

One are we feel would be ideal to add to is up front, where the lack of a genuine number nine who can grab the goals is proving costly for Everton and Silva.

There are players out there though, and we here at the Tavern feel that signing Brentford striker Neal Maupay would be a smart move for the Merseysiders.

The French forward has been in superb form for the Bees this term, as he once again looks to top the goalscoring charts in the second tier.

Maupay has bags of quality in front of goal, but he is also a team player, something which is demonstrated in the amount of chances he lays on for his Brentford teammates on a weekly basis.

His speed, quick thinking, and lethal finishing mean that adapting to life in the Premier League shouldn’t be a problem for the Frenchman, and if Everton want to give him his chance in the top flight, there’s every chance their faith will be quickly repaid.

Everton fans, what do you think? Good signing? Let us know in the comments!