NOTHING Guardiola says City need major additions this summer if they want to challenge Liverpool

MANCHESTER CITY boss Pep Guardiola admits he has to rebuild his side if he wants to dethrone Liverpool as English champions next season.

Jurgen Klopp’s men have been unstoppable and were crowned champions with seven games to spare. The two sides clash at the Etihad tonight with City trailing the new kings of the Premier League by a staggering 23 points.

Guardiola paid the price for failing to replace dominant centre-back Vincent Kompany this season, and he is about to lose midfield magician David Silva, and Bayern Munich-bound Leroy Sane. So with Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Nicolas Otamendi also in the twilight of their careers, the Blues boss is planning a major summer spending spree. City have won eight of the last 10 domestic trophies available but Guardiola admits nothing lasts forever and that he has a lot of work to do if Klopp’s men are to be hauled in.

The Spaniard will discuss his transfer targets with chairman Khaldoon Al-mubarak, and said: “In some areas we will have to do this, not for the lack of quality, but for the absence of Vinny and David, while Fernandinho and Sergio have one year left on their contracts.

“I don’t know if they will extend or not. Some players have to be replaced. But it’s not a disaster, or a bad thing, it’s part of football for the age, for the normal situation and the circumstances.

“It happens elsewhere, too. “Players who are considered important for the club decide to leave, they don’t want to be here and that was the case for Leroy.”

City will form a guard of honour for Liverpool tonight, and Guardiola admits both him and his players have to deal with conceding the title to the Reds. He said: “The challenge this season was to win the Premier League again.

“It did not happen as we weren’t consistent. All we can do is accept it, learn from our mistakes, learn from what they have done, and try to reply next season.

“Living for the past is ridiculous. It’s a new chapter in our lives, we have to live it.”

One of his players, Ilkay Gundogan, is up for the fight and has warned rivals Liverpool that he will be gunning for them next season.

The Germany midfielder said: “I will be here next season and I am going to fight to be a Premier League champion again.

“We know what we have done wrong, we know our mistakes and where we have dropped points unnecessarily, so it is up to us to make it better next season.”