Pep promises Blues will be back stronger

PEP Guardiola vowed to return stronger after being condemned to the first trophyless season of his career.

The City manager plans to spend up to £200m this summer to overhaul his squad and turn them into genuine title contenders.

Alexis Sanchez, whose goal handed Arsenal a 2-1 extra time victory at Wembley, is among his top targets.

Defeat means the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager has been left with only Champions League qualification to aim for in the final weeks of the campaign.

And that makes Thursday’s derby with Jose Mourinho’s United even more critical, with both sides scrapping for a place in the top four.

Defeat was particularly painful for Guardiola after seeing his side take the lead through Sergio Aguero’s 62nd minute strike.

“We will improve next season – we will be stronger,” said Guardiola.

“We don’t want to have to wait for the mistake, wait for the post. Always, for the rest of my life, I will try to do it better.

“We made a good performance. We played like a final. We did absolutely everything to play.

“We arrived here and we competed, we created more chances.

“The post, the finishing, it was like what was happening all season.

“The team doesn’t need to do a lot of things.”

Yaya Toure and Fernandinho hit the woodwork in the second half, while Raheem Sterling had a goal wrongly disallowed when Leroy Sane’s cross was adjudged to have gone out of play.

Replays showed the ball did not go out.

Arsenal took advantage with Nacho Monreal equalising before Sanchez’s decisive strike.

Guardiola had won 21 trophies in his previous seven seasons as a manager before taking over at the Etihad.

He describes that record as the exception – rather than a season without silverware.

Still, he has fallen below the expectations of City, who unveiled him with such fanfare last summer.

Guardiola must now lift his side for Thursday, with David Silva and Aguero both doubts after going off injured.

City will assess both players and Fernandinho today.

“We will try to stand up,” said the Catalan.

“On Thursday we have another important game.

“We competed as we should do it and I have no regrets from my players.”