Van Persie fears for fourth place

Robin van Persie has admitted Arsenal must improve dramatically or risk missing out on a top-four finish in the Premier League.

The Gunners fell five points behind fourth-placed Chelsea after a goalless draw against Tottenham yesterday. Emmanuel Eboue had a goal disallowed before being sent off for two bookable offences as Arsenal, with new signing Andrey Arshavin on the subs' bench, recorded their sixth draw in nine matches.

And Van Persie said: "In the last three Premier League games we have had three draws and that is just not good enough.

"It is six points missing — if we had those six points but this is if, if, if. It's not really working. What can I say? Sometimes it's me to blame or a player to blame. Sometimes we are unlucky.

"We are still creating the chances. Even with 10 men we had a few chances. I am not really worried because we are still creating. If you look at the chances they had and we had, I think we can be happy."

Michael Dawson said Tottenham missed a golden chance to finally end their north London derby jinx after failing to beat the 10-men Gunners.