Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he is in despair after his side fell to a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday evening.

HIGHLIGHTS: Palace dents Arsenal’s top four hopes

The Gunners suffered their eighth defeat of the season when they conceded three goals after Andros Townsend, Yohan Cabaye and Luka Milivojevic all got on the scoresheet.

The 67-year-old manager says he is disappointed by the defeat and he believes his top four hopes has been made very difficult.

‘It’s [going to be] very difficult,’ Wenger told the Arsenal website

‘Honestly, I am disappointed tonight. After such a long time, to see that we’ve lost a game the way we’ve lost it is of course very disappointing. I think it would be inconvenient to speak about me tonight, it’s more painful to lose the game like the way we lost this one.

‘I think it would be inconvenient to speak about me tonight, it’s more painful to lose the game like the way we lost this one.’

The French manager insists that his side have to rebuild their confidence as they prepare to take on Middlesbrough in the upcoming Premier league fixture.

‘It’s part of our job to rebuild confidence. We have a week to do it, a week to prepare and we go to Middlesbrough for another difficult game. It’s our job and we’ll try to do it,’ He added.

The Gunners are currently placed sixth in the Premier League standings with 54 points, having won 16 out of 30 matches played so far this season, trailing  Manchester United in fifth by three points.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace sits in 16th place with 34 points and have won just 10 out of 31 matches played.

Arsenal will be hoping to bounce back when they take on Middlesbrough in the Premier League on Monday.

The match at the Riverside Stadium kicks off at 21:00.