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Man City have had an up and down season under Pep Guardiola, leaving our fans here in the Tavern somewhat perplexed by what has gone on some weeks.

At times brilliant and at other times truly woeful, the City fans at the minute literally do not know what to make of where they might end up at the end of the season.

Part of the reason for the inconsistent performances is certain players dipping below the levels they have set themselves over previous years.

In a squad full of stars, some players have simply drowned under the pressure of being successful, and our landlord thinks a few City players have gone backwards under Pep.

With this in mind, we have taken a look at TWO Man City players who have regressed under Pep Guardiola…

Sergio Aguero

The Argentine strike might be getting the game time now that Gabriel Jesus is injured, but there is little denying he has not been himself under Guardiola.

Aguero has often looked short of confidence and not been his usual dynamic self, despite still leading the goal charts for City. The little striker will be hoping to get back to his best sooner rather than later though, whether that be at City, or elsewhere come the summer.

Fabian Delph

The former Leeds and Aston Villa is simply sitting on the sidelines under Pep, offering very little to the team and getting little to no game time.

This suggests the former Barcelona manager is not all that thrilled or impressed with Delph, and that he could well look to move him on. It is a shame for Delph, who had at one time in his career got himself well into the England set up.

However, that now seems a big distance away for the midfielder.

West Ham United fans have given their reaction to Diafra Sakho’s claims that he is ready to contribute in the final eight games of the season.

The Senegal international recently returned to training after spending almost four months on the sidelines following back surgery.

The 27-year-old has made just two Premier League appearances this season due to the injury, but now he has told West Ham TV that he is raring to go.

It has not been the most enjoyable season for West Ham fans due to the controversial move to the London Stadium and a string of disappointing results.

Slaven Bilic’s side managed an impressive seventh-placed finish in the previous campaign, but they now sit 14th in the table after winning just nine of their 30 fixtures.

On top of that, the club have recorded defeats in their last four league matches, which has not eased the fans’ frustrations.

Plenty of supporters are hopeful that Sakho can make a different in the home stretch, while others are not so convinced.

According to the Sun, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is ready to sanction a surprise £20m swoop on Manchester City for ‘keeper Joe Hart his summer.

What’s the word?

Having been dropped by Pep Guardiola at the start of his first campaign in charge of the club, the England international was sent out on loan to Serie A side Torino amid doubts about his suitability to get involved in City’s build-up play under the Spaniard.

While he remains the No.1 choice at international level, there appears to be little chance the 30-year-old has any future at all with the Etihad giants, despite playing key roles in both of their Premier League title wins.

Though his performance level was called into question by Torino president Urbano Cairo, Il Toro were understood to be wanting to keep Hart in Turin beyond the end of the campaign.

Still, the Italian are reportedly unable to afford him and the Sun suggest the Reds are keen on swooping in. For their part, City are said to be willing to allow him to leave to a Premier League rival following his years of service, as Chelsea did to Petr Cech when he joined Arsenal.

What about Mignolet?

Well, Simon Mignolet has failed to wholly convince at Anfield for the past few years. He, along with summer signing Loris Karius, have made their fair share of mistakes this term, though the former has been improving of late.

Indeed, Kop legend John Aldridge recently suggested he had done enough to establish himself as Jurgen Klopp’s No.1, though this report claims a £20m move for Hart has been sanctioned.

An upgrade?

Yes. Hart may have seen his stock fall in the past year or so after a poor Euro 2016, as well as the Guardiola situation, though has twice won the Premier League and remains England’s undisputed No.1.

While he too is prone to the odd mistake (and Liverpool’s defensive problems go far deeper than just their ‘keeper) there would be little doubting Klopp will have strengthened should Hart arrive.

It may not have been pretty or their most memorable performance under Jurgen Klopp, but Liverpool did what they needed to do at the Hawthorns on Sunday – eking out a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion to move up to third in the Premier League table.

The Baggies are enjoying a fantastic season and represent exactly the kind of side Liverpool usually struggle to perform against, protruding physicality, organisation and attrition over attacking football and technical flair.

Once again, it wasn’t a stellar display from the Reds but an incredibly important one as we embark upon the business end of the campaign. So, who was Liverpool’s best performer at the Hawthorns?

We put that exact question to Reds readers last night in our exclusive poll – here’s a rundown of who made the top three.

3. Lucas Leiva

Any Liverpool fans wondering what purpose Lucas Leiva truly serves on Merseyside only has to watch this game back. He competed relentlessly with West Brom’s engine room and finished up with three tackles and one interception, whilst completing the most passes of any Liverpool midfielder or forward. He also won three aerial duels, including a flicked-on header at a set piece to set up Roberto Firmino for the only goal of the afternoon.

2. Simon Mignolet

Simon Mignolet’s received plenty of stick throughout his Liverpool career but the Belgium international certainly couldn’t be faulted against the Baggies, producing two crucial saves to keep the home side at bay. It’s actually been an incredibly solid season from the former Sunderland man – it’s hard to remember the last time he made a mistake in the Premier League – and although most Liverpool fans would have opted for Loris Karius to be the new No.1 when he arrived last summer, the German’s move to Merseyside has seemingly spurred Mignolet on to produce a much higher level of performance.

1. Roberto Firmino

It may seem simplistic but it’s hard to overlook the only goalscorer in a 1-0 win, with Firmino’s finish from close range (courtesy of Leiva’s aforementioned flick-on) proving the difference upon the final whistle. But the Brazilian’s performance was by no means limited to just that; he also completed five successful dribbles and created five chances – the best returns of any player for either side – and even weighed in defensively with two tackles, one interception and one clearance. Many feared how Liverpool would fare for the rest of the campaign in the absence of the injured top scorer Sadio Mane, but Firmino has proved in his last two appearances that he’s capable of filling the void.

Results

West Ham United will know that they will be on the verge of securing their Premier League status for another season if they can pick up all three points against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.

The Hammers looked to be on the verge of being sucked into a relegation battle following five successive defeats between March and April but they have bounced back and taken five points from their last three fixtures to move away from the bottom three.

Lying on 38 points going into their clash against the Potters, Slaven Bilic’s men can surpass the magic 40-point mark with a victory and it would be a huge relief in what has been a disappointing campaign.

West Ham supporters have been having their say on how they feel the match against Stoke will go, and they seem to be divided with some feeling in positive mood, and others remembering that they have often struggled when they have faced Mark Hughes’ men.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye has proved to be one of the bargains of the season in the Premier League, but Toffees fans still want to see more from him next term.

The Senegal international moved to Goodison Park from Aston Villa last summer for £7.1m, and he has gone on to become a key man for Ronald Koeman’s side in the middle of the park, helping them secure Europa League football.

The 27-year-old was once again impressive in the 1-0 victory against Watford on Merseyside on Friday night as he helped his team keep a clean sheet in their final home game of the campaign.

Afterwards he posted a message of appreciation via social media, and Everton supporters were quick to thank him for his influential performances this season.

However, some believe he needs to add more goals to his game next term in order to help the club push on again.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

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According to SkyBet, West Ham United are the 9/4 favourites to sign Southampton midfielder Dusan Tadic this summer.

Irons manager Slaven Bilic is keen to strengthen his attacking options following a below-par campaign and he is still looking for a replacement for the creative Dimitri Payet, who left for Marseille during the January transfer window.

A need for a central attacking midfielder who can play wide could mean that Tadic is an attractive proposition for the Hammers.

Meanwhile, there could also be major changes at Saints over the course of pre-season with Claude Puel’s future seemingly uncertain, while there may be players coming and going too following a disappointing goalscoring campaign in which they netted just 17 times at home.

One of those casualties could be the 28-year-old after he endured his worst Premier League season since moving to the south coast outfit in 2014.

Here are three reasons Southampton should sell Tadic to West Ham…

He could be on the decline

After scoring four goals and providing a further seven assists in his first Premier League season and then netting seven and giving 13 assists in his second campaign, Tadic has struggled to make an impact in a low-scoring Saints side this term.

The 28-year-old scored just three goals and provided five assists during a disappointing top flight campaign in terms of attacking threat, and the club may feel that he is on the decline as he approaches his 29th birthday.

Critcising the manager in public

Whether he disagreed with his decisions or not, Tadic was wrong to publicly criticise Claude Puel in March by saying that the Frenchman’s decision to substitute him off in some matches had cost Southampton a result.

Since then, the 28-year-old has stayed on the pitch more than he did previously but amid a disappointing personal campaign, the matter should have been sorted out behind closed doors.

Having reportedly also not seen eye-to-eye with previous boss Ronald Koeman, Saints may feel it’s time to sell the potential trouble-marker this summer.

He can’t play in the same team as Boufal

The Moroccan became Southampton’s record signing last summer following his arrival from Lille but he has struggled to make an impression following an injury-hit campaign.

The 23-year-old has certainly looked more comfortable as a number 10 rather than out wide, where he has less defensive responsibilities, and the club could look to utilise him there more next term.

The problem, however, is that it is also Tadic’s preferred position, so Saints may choose to invest in the talent of Boufal rather than try to utilise both of them in the team, as they tried and failed to do in the 0-0 draw at home to Hull City.

Do you agree, Saints fans? Let us know below.

Being blessed with both feet gives you a distinct advantage in the modern game.

Of course, some players do well to get by without, such as Arjen Robben. The Netherlands international has enjoyed a phenomenal career but when arguably its most telling moment came in the 2010 World Cup final as he found himself through on goal, Robben refused to take the shot with his right foot. By the time he’d shifted the ball onto his trusty left, Iker Casillas had smothered him. The moment was gone – and Robben was left wondering why he’d not given his weaker foot more attention down the years.

And thus, ambipedal ability can really make all the difference at the very top of the game, which is why Spurs fans will be delighted to discover three of their most talented, naturally right-footed players have scored five left-footed goals or more this season – Premier League Golden Boot winner Harry Kane on seven, followed closely by his attacking midfield accomplices Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.

It shows how well-rounded threats they’ve become under Mauricio Pochettino, highlighting their impeccable technique and confidence in attempting to hit the net with their weaker foot.

Also featuring prominently in the Premier League’s top six this season are left-footed trio Romelu Lukaku, Robert Snodgrass and Alvaro Negredo, bagging 27 between them. Not bad, but Tottenham’s right-footed triplet got more than half of that – 17 – on their weaker pegs.

According to reports in The Mirror, West Ham United have joined Premier League rivals West Bromwich Albion and Watford in the race to sign Montpellier striker Steve Mounie this summer.

Irons manager Slaven Bilic is keen to strengthen his strike force with Jonathan Calleri leaving the club following the end of his season-long loan spell and continued doubts over the fitness of Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho, who spent the majority of the campaign on the sidelines because of injury.

The link with the Ligue 1 attacker follows stories that the Hammers are looking to sign Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho and Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi.

While the former looks set to be on his way out of the Etihad and is understood to be keen to stay in the Premier League, the future of the Belgium international is far less certain.

Here are three reasons West Ham should sign Mounie instead of Batshuayi…

He offers something different

If West Ham were to sign Iheanacho from City this summer there would be a few arguing that they then wouldn’t need to sign Batshuayi as well.

Irons manager Slaven Bilic often plays with just the one striker in his preferred formation and with the duo both being poachers rather than all-round strikers, it would probably be better to have a different option for some matches.

Standing at 6’3” tall, Mounie would certainly add height and strength in the air and would allow the side to play a different style, but he is also able to find the net on a regular basis after scoring 14 times in 35 Ligue 1 appearances this season.

He can finally replace Carroll

There is little doubt that the style the Irons play when Carroll is on the pitch has proved to be particularly effective in recent seasons – although perhaps less so at the London Stadium – but they rarely get to do it on a regular basis because of his poor injury record.

That is where Mounie can make a difference as he is of a similar stature to the 28-year-old, and he won an impressive 282 aerial duels for Montpellier in Ligue 1 as they narrowly avoided the drop this season.

He would be cheaper

If Batshuayi is allowed to leave Chelsea on a permanent basis this summer then there is no doubt that they will look to recoup most of the £33m they spent to bring him to England last year despite his lack of minutes on the pitch.

That could prove to be an expensive buy for the Irons – especially if they complete a £20m deal for Iheanacho – and Mounie would certainly be a cheaper option for the Irons as he is reportedly available for around £13m.

Do you agree, Irons fans? Let us know below.

The West Bromwich Albion fans in the Transfer Tavern today will be hoping for something a little different next season, after another stale mid-table finish in the previous campaign.

The landlord was overheard today saying that if he was a West Brom fan, he would be bored to tears at this point.

The last three seasons the club have finished 10th, 14th and 13th, never really close enough to the drop to make each game exciting and definitely never close enough to those all-important European places, they just constantly find themselves in the middle of the pack.

Part of the problem can be attributed to their lack of attacking threat, with Rondon scoring only eight times during the 16/17 campaign, terrible numbers for your top striker.

Defensively they are slightly better with the likes of Jonny Evans and Craig Dawson at the back but still, things need to change for the Baggies.

Much like many other Premier League sides, there are a few gems that are making their way up the West Brom youth set-up, and it doesn’t seem like Tony Pulis would have much to lose by giving some of these talented youngsters a chance in the first team.

With that being said, here are TWO West Brom wonderkids that Tony Pulis should bring up to the first-team…..

Tyler Roberts

The 18-year-old Welsh centre forward spent the entirety of last season out on loan, first at Oxford and then finishing the season with Shrewsbury.

Roberts’ time at Oxford was quite an unsuccessful spell as he only scored two goals in 22 games for the League One side, none of which came in the league.

However, Roberts did manage to bag four goals in 13 games for Shrewsbury along with two assists to make the tail end of the season a memorable one for the youngster.

Despite a mixed season, Roberts got something a lot more valuable than goals and assists, first-team football.

Playing 27 league games last season, 11 of which were starts, Tyler Roberts has been able to continue his development away from the pressures of playing for a Premier League side such as West Brom, and whilst he may not be ready to feature in all 38 games next season for Pulis’ side, maybe bringing him back to the club and easing him in to the first-team picture could result in a striker, scoring much more than eight goals all season, sooner rather than later.

Sam Field

The fact that Sam Field has never been loaned out by West Brom should speak volumes of how important the club already deem him to be.

The 19-year-old central midfielder began a sharp climb up the ranks of Tony Pulis’ side and managed to register eight Premier League appearances last season, four of which he was part of the starting eleven.

Unfortunately for Field, the only two winning games he featured in were against Stoke and Bournemouth, both of which he came on as a 90th minute substitute but still, a win is a win.

The centre mid who can also play a more defensive midfield role has been praised by Tony Pulis a lot since breaking into the first team, with the veteran manager describing Field’s performance against Burnley as “smashing”.

The future looks bright for Sam Field and if he keeps on the trajectory that he is currently on, then Pulis may have a very bright talent in his ranks for years to come.

What do you think West Brom fans? Let us know down below!