Arsene Wenger rules out top-four finish after latest setback

Arsene Wenger has conceded that Arsenal face a 'near impossible task' finishing in the top four of the Premier League this season.

The Frenchman was speaking on the back of his side's fourth successive loss - three of which have come in the top flight - as his charges went down 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday afternoon.

Arsenal have accrued just 13 points from their 15 away Premier League games this season - their worst return in the top flight since 1989-90 - and are facing back-to-back campaigns outside of the Champions League.

Thirteen points is now the gap on Tottenham Hotspur in fourth place, while Chelsea are also eight points better off in fifth ahead of their showdown with Manchester City, leaving Wenger in little doubt as to what is now achievable this term.

"We were passive, struggling for confidence and heavy-legged but responded well in the second half," he told BBC Sport. "It is difficult to recover from what happened to us last week - we are going through a tough time.

"Top four? It is very difficult, nearly impossible now, we are too far behind. We need two teams to collapse not one. But at the moment we have different worries in how to comeback to winning a game.

"It is important that we now recover mentally and physically. We are still jaded today, we gave a lot on Thursday night and you can see that today."

Next up for Arsenal is a meeting with AC Milan in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie on Thursday evening.