Sweeping changes are impossible: Guardiola

Pep Guardiola has said it would be impossible to make sweeping changes to his Manchester City squad in the wake of their shock Champions League exit. City were dismissed from the tournament in the first knockout round by Monaco on Wednesday, losing the second leg 3-1 after winning their home tie 5-3.It was the first time in Guardiola’s illustrious managerial career that his team had failed to reach at least the semi-finals of Europe’s elite competition, which he won with Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. With the Premier League title realistically out of reach, City can now only win the FA Cup in Guardiola’s debut season and they meet Arsenal in the semi-final at Wembley on April 23. City’s status as one of the world’s wealthiest clubs has led to speculation Guardiola will implement an extensive overhaul of his squad in the close-season, but the manager insists such a strategy would not be feasible. “A lot of people say about our performance in Monaco that we will have to change 12 or 13 players. But it is impossible today to do that. You have to be a little bit more realistic,” Guardiola said yesterday.“They might have a contract and you have to pay their salaries. And to spend £40-£50mn on every player means you would have to spend £500m-£600mn. It’s impossible. We will try and improve the team but it’s impossible (to do that much) with the way the transfer market is. I am so happy with the squad. “I have said many times I’m so happy working with the guys and how they try to do and their performances. We’re going to improve a lot next season. A lot of these guys will be here next season.”Yay Toure, Pablo Zabaleta, Jesus Navas, Gael Clichy, Bacary Sagna and Willy Caballero are all due to be out of contract at the end of the season.Guardiola is also unlikely to recall City’s loan players to the club, with Joe Hart, the England goalkeeper currently at Torino, and Samir Nasri, the France midfielder at Sevilla, the most high-profile absentees. Guardiola and his squad now return to Premier League action with an important clash against top four rivals Liverpool on Sunday at Eastlands. It would be a hammer blow to Guardiola if City were to miss out on qualifying for next season’s Champions League.“Qualification for the Champions League will be tough until the last game of the Premier League,” Guardiola said. “Except of course Chelsea, the other contenders will be there until the end of the season. It will be good to see how everybody reacts, myself and the players, after going out of the Champions League. It’s an important game before the international team break against one of the best teams in the Premier League.”Klopp backs GuardiolaMeanwhile, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists Guardiola doesn’t deserve to be questioned following City’s Champions League exit. “I am not in doubt about his quality. Maybe a few people are but I am not. I respect him a lot,” Klopp said. “I know probably a few people think differently now they are out of the Champions League but I think the way they played was as impressive as Monaco. City could have won the game easily in the second half but because they are human beings they missed a few chances.”Liverpool beat City at Anfield in December, but Klopp doesn’t agree with criticism of Guardiola’s attacking philosophy, which some claim leaves his defence too vulnerable.Meanwhile, Arsenal travel to West Bromwich Albion with Gunners boss Arsene Wenger hoping last weekend’s FA Cup win over minnows Lincoln has lifted his players’ shattered morale.Rocked by the humiliation of a 10-2 aggregate defeat against Bayern Munich in the Champions League last 16, Wenger has endured calls for his resignation from angry fans and failing to finish in the top four might convince the Frenchman to step down. With a 10-point lead over second placed Tottenham, Chelsea look odds on to regain the title two years after they were last crowned champions, but it will be intriguing to see how they fare at Stoke following an emotional FA Cup quarter-final victory over Manchester United on Monday.United, six points adrift of the top four, head to the Riverside Stadium to face second bottom Middlesbrough, who will be in action for the first time since manager Aitor Karanka was sacked on Thursday. Tottenham, who host Southampton tomorrow, must prove they can thrive without Harry Kane if they are to have any chance of closing the gap on Chelsea. Mauricio Pochettino’s side will be without England striker Kane for several weeks after their leading scorer suffered an ankle injury in last weekend’s FA Cup win against Millwall.Leicester, fresh from their dramatic Champions League win over Sevilla, have a chance to pull clear of the relegation battle when they take on West Ham.Fixtures (1500 GMT unless stated)Today: Bournemouth v Swansea (1730 GMT), Crystal Palace v Watford, Everton v Hull, Stoke v Chelsea, Sunderland v Burnley, West Brom v Arsenal (1230 GMT), West Ham v LeicesterTomorrow: Manchester City v Liverpool (1630 GMT), Middlesbrough v Manchester United (1200 GMT), Tottenham v Southampton (1415 GMT)