Arteta gives damning verdict on Arsenal's performance in Crystal Palace draw

Mikel Arteta bemoaned hapless Arsenal's inability to protect a lead as more squandered points left Liverpool in need of just one more to become champions for the 20th time.

Arteta's team led twice at home against Crystal Palace only to concede two equalisers and slide to their 13th draw of the Premier League season, nine times from winning positions.

Only Everton have drawn more and Arsenal, with four to play, are now a dozen points behind Liverpool, will win the title if they draw against Tottenham on Sunday.

'I'm disappointed with the result and the performance,' grumbled Arteta. 'We never got the consistency in many areas to completely dominate the game.

'We always had the feeling that we had the ball, we had possession, we went in front twice, but we didn't grab the game and didn't dominate and control it in the way we normally do. We were below the standards in some areas.

'When you're not at your best but you are two times ahead, you have to be able to see the game off and we weren't able to do it, especially with the second goal. We haven't been able to see games off for many reasons, and the margins have been too small.'

Eberechi Eze wiped out Jakub Kiwior's opener with a wonderful volley and, after Leandro Trossard gave Arsenal a 2-1 lead just before half-time, Jean-Philippe Mateta came off the bench to earn a point for Palace with an exquisite chip after a mistake by William Saliba.

'One of the best goals of my career,' said Mateta, while Arteta refused to contemplate the idea his players might have been distracted by the upcoming Champions League semi final against Paris Saint-Germain.

'Hopefully not,' said the Arsenal boss. 'I don't want to use that. Obviously, we have missed a lot of players, a lot of players weren't available, so we've been very short.

'But as well, credit to Palace, they are very well organised, they are a really good side and they made it difficult for us and the reality as well that today we weren't at our best.'

Oliver Glasner was delighted with the spirit showed by his Palace team to fight back for a point ahead of Saturday's FA Cup semi final against Aston Villa, after five-goal hammerings in the two previous away games at Manchester City and Newcastle.

'I'm proud of what the players showed,' said Glasner. 'We scored amazing goals. I watched many Arsenal games and can't remember a team with as many clear chances as we had.

'It was not our goal to decide the title, it was our goal to win the game. I think a draw is a very good result. More important is the performance. We are back on the track. That's what we need.'