Crystal Palace vs Arsenal: Five talking points after Arsenal's humiliating defeat in the Premier League

At this point, words cannot describe how every Arsenal fan is feeling after their team suffered the fourth straight away defeat in the Premier League as they lost 3-0 to Crystal Palace. This was the first time Arsenal have lost four away games in a row since Arsene Wenger took over in 1996.

It's fair to say Arsenal have reached rock bottom under Wenger and things cannot get any worse for him and the Arsenal players, and you just feel sorry for them right now no matter which club you support. After going through a string of bad results, the Arsenal faithful thought their team was back on track with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Manchester City followed by a convincing 3-0 win against West Ham.

Also read: Arsenal planning massive summer overhaul

Wenger had never lost to Crystal Palace and was expected to defeat them last night but Arsenal were completely outplayed by the pace of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend and the strength of Christian Benteke. At this point, it makes you wonder if Arsenal actually played well against West Ham or were the Hammers so bad that Arsenal managed an easy win.

As expected, the Arsenal fans continued their protests after the match got over and this time they took things to another level as they shouted abuses at Wenger himself as he and the players made their way to the team bus. The Arsenal fans were also caught saying "We want Wenger out" and "you're not fit to wear the shirt" after their 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace.

Despite Arsenal having 72 percent of the possession and completing 372 more passes than Crystal Palace, they still could not find a way past their defence. Here are five talking points after their most recent defeat.

1. Arsenal look set to miss out on the Champions League

At his best, Wenger delivered the Premier League title to Arsenal undefeated and at his worst, he always managed a finish in the top four ensuring Champions League football. This season, however, that might come to an end. Arsenal are sixth on the table, three points behind Manchester United and seven points behind Manchester City.

While it is still mathematically possible for them to finish in the top four, given their current form and the lifeless performances the Arsenal players put in, this could be the season they miss out. They still have to face Tottenham and Stoke City away from home and Manchester United and Everton at home from their remaining eight games.

2. Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil could be on their way out

Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are two of Arsenal's best players who are determined to play at the highest level and want to win trophies. The two players are currently stalling on a new contract and if Arsenal were to miss out on a top-four finish, they would certainly not sign a new contract forcing Arsenal to sell them in the summer.

Sanchez has repeatedly shown his frustration at Arsenal's performances on the pitch and with Arsenal not able to match his level of desire and hunger, he could force through a move in the summer. Unlike Sanchez, Ozil has not been linked with a lot of top clubs, but the German international will want to play at the highest level while he is in the prime of his career. 

3. Winning the FA Cup this season will not mean anything

Arsenal are still in with a chance of winning a trophy at the end of the season as they are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup where they will face Manchester City. Winning a trophy would have certainly taken the pressure off Wenger in the past but that's unlikely this season. Winning it would make them the most successful team in the competition but that's not what the Arsenal fans want.

They want to compete for the Premier League title and move past the round of 16 in the Champions League and compete with the best of the best like they did in the early 2000's. Arsenal have struggled against the top six in the Premier League and it would come as no surprise if they were to lose to Manchester City in the semi-finals.

4. Arsenal need a new midfielder to replace Santi Cazorla

There is no point in denying it but Arsenal cannot do anything without Santi Cazorla in the heart of their midfield. Arsenal lack that creative spark and the ability to break down defences with that killer pass without the Spaniard. Even during the Crystal Palace game, Arsenal had so much possession but could not do anything about it as no player including Ozil could find a way past them.

This is the second season in a row Arsenal have suffered without Cazorla and you would have expected Wenger to find a replacement for him in the January transfer window but he did not. He chose to stick with the existing players and it has backfired. The Frenchman will need to find a long-term solution to Cazorla because they clearly cannot do without him.

Since 2013, Arsenal have played 85 games with him and picked up a total of 183 points averaging 2.15 points per game. Without him, they have picked up just 92 points averaging just 1.70 points per game.

5. If Arsene Wenger truly loves the club the way he says he does, he will leave in the summer

Arsene Wenger has stated on numerous occasions that he loves Arsenal and would want to spend his remaining years as a manager at the Emirates stadium. But if really does love the club as much as he says he does, he will put an end to his 20-year reign at the end of this season.

There is no doubt that Wenger's name will be etched in Arsenal and Premier League history but there is nothing more the Frenchman can do to improve the club. He got them a new stadium and made them one of the best teams in England and Europe, but at this point, he is slowly undoing all his hard work. Arsenal need a new manager to lead them, a new look and a fresh approach to the game.

Check out the videos of Arsenal fans abusing Arsene Wenger and the players.