Arsenal’s top four bid rocked by Palace

Unai Emery insists Arsenal can still finish in the Premier League’s top four despite a shock 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Emery’s side paid the price for a defensive horror show at the Emirates Stadium that leaves their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League via the domestic route hanging in the balance.

The Gunners, who can also reach Europe’s top club competition by winning the Europa League, fell behind to Christian Benteke’s first goal for a year before Mesut Ozil equalised early in the second half.

Shkodran Mustafi’s blunder allowed Wilfried Zaha to put Palace back in front.

James McArthur took advantage of more woeful Arsenal defending to make it three. PierreEmerick Aubameyang reduced the deficit, but it was too late to stop Palace’s first league win at Arsenal since October 1994.

“It’s a big frustration because it was a big opportunity. At the set pieces, we didn’t work and weren’t as strong as we have been,” Emery said.

“Their second goal was very bad for us and took away our confidence.”

Arsenal’s first league loss at the Emirates since the opening weekend of the season means they need to improve a dismal away record when they play at Wolves and Leicester this week.

Emery remains convinced they can finish into the top four.

“We still have the possibility to achieve our first target — qualifying for the Champions League — through the Premier League or Europa league,” he said.

“In this key moment, we have the chance to fight for the top four. If we win at Wolverhampton, it is still in our hands.”

“He’s given an honest answer to a question, but that didn’t look like the performance of a player keen to get away,” Palace boss Roy Hodgson said of Zaha, , who says he wants to leave to play in the Champions League next season.