Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said being forced to watch the Champions League latter stages from his sofa instead of the touchline is providing motivation to qualify for the competition next season. City bowed out at the play-off round to Real Madrid in February — failing to reach the last 16 for the first time since the 2012-2013 season. It was also the first time in Guardiola’s managerial career that he failed to reach the last 16, but he has enjoyed the spectacle this week as Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Inter Milan booked their places in the last four. “They’ve been good games,” said Guardiola on Friday. “It’s a motivation. It’s not a bad thing to fight to qualify for the Champions League. “Hopefully next season we can be there with the big clubs in Europe and challenge them better than what we have this season.” City find themselves embroiled in a battle to secure a top-five finish in the Premier League that would secure Champions League football for a 15th consecutive season. Guardiola’s men are fifth with six games to go, but only one point ahead of Chelsea and Aston Villa. Yet Guardiola conceded it could have been much worse for his side after a drastic decline in their standards this season compared with the team that won an unprecedented four consecutive Premier League titles. “We could be in a very lower position in the Premier League,” he added. “People say we are fifth now but could be 11, 12, 13 or 14. I have no doubts. OK, we’ve not been good, but it’s in our hands.” Erling Haaland, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Ederson remain sidelined for City’s trip to Everton on Saturday. But they could welcome back Manu Akanji for the first time in two months, while Phil Foden has recovered from a knock that led him to miss last weekend’s 5-2 win over Crystal Palace.