Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta apologised for his team’s “unacceptable” performance in Monday’s 0-3 Premier League defeat at Crystal Palace.

Arsenal’s hopes of securing a Top-4 finish suffered a blow after they slipped to fifth, a spot below Tottenham Hotspur, who have played a game more. “We weren’t at the races today, especially in the first half,” Arteta told reporters. “We were late to every ball, soft in the duels and didn’t earn the right to play. “When we did a little bit we were sloppy on the ball and we didn’t have any dominance, any sequences of play where we could take some control of the game and we conceded two poor goals. Overall it’s unacceptable, we put our hands up, apologise, regroup,” said Arteta.