Unai Emery: Arsenal 'Lost a Big Opportunity' in Home Defeat to Crystal Palace

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has admitted his side "lost a big opportunity" in the race for a top-four Premier League finish following their 3-2 defeat at home to Crystal Palace on Sunday.  

The Gunners never led at the Emirates Stadium and failed to seize their opportunity to climb above rivals Tottenham Hotspur into third. Emery spoke to reporters after his side suffered just their second home loss in the league this season and rued a missed chance to climb the standings, via Hayters TV:

The Spaniard said:

"It was very frustrating because it was a big opportunity.

"But we've had plenty of big opportunities before today, plenty of key moments, that give us the opportunity to achieve our first target, to play in the Champions League next year.

"But yes, today we lost a big opportunity. It doesn't change our idea or plan for the next match. It's in our hands. I still have confidence though and I want to be positive."

The mood around the Emirates prior to Sunday's kick-off was a hopeful one, with bitter rivals Spurs having fallen 1-0 away to title contenders Manchester City on Saturday.

Their quest to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League now looks more precarious. Emery's side are fourth, one point behind Tottenham and level on points with Chelsea, while sixth-place Manchester United are another threat just two points behind them.

Each of the teams has four games remaining in the league, and presenter David Garrido teed up a frantic race for the finish come May:

Despite their most recent setback, Emery reassured he was proud of his maiden campaign with Arsenal on the whole: "We can be proud of the whole season. Today we're frustrated but tomorrow we have to stand up and prepare for Wednesday's trip to Wolves."

He arrived in north London last summer with the target of returning them to Europe's first-tier competition. Their other potential route back is through the UEFA Europa League, and they prepare to face Valencia in the semi-finals of this season's contest next month.

The Mirror's Mike Walters dissected the fallout of Arsenal's most recent defeat—only their fourth at the Emirates in all competitions this season—and described their defending as "apocalyptic" at times:

Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha and James McArthur scored the goals for Palace and put the visitors 3-1 up at one point, while Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted for the hosts.

Shkodran Mustafi courted particular blame for his hand in allowing Zaha to score an easy second. Sports writer James Benge noted the German's lapses in judgement have become a costly theme this season:

Arsenal's home dominance this season made a defeat look unlikely ahead of Week 34, but complacency seemingly settled in at the worst moment for a squad that's lacking experience in key areas.

It's in part up to Arsenal's peers to decide how badly they're punished for their latest slip, though a winning end to the season—with three of their four remaining games away—could still wrap up a top-four place.