• Arsenal striker admits Gunners’ title hopes are all but gone
• ‘I don’t think Chelsea will drop more than six points now’

Robin van Persie admits last night’s defeat to Tottenham has all but ended Arsenal’s title hopes.

The Gunners went down 2-1 at White Hart Lane, with Nicklas Bendtner pulling a late goal back after Danny Rose and Gareth Bale had given Spurs a two-goal lead.

Arsenal peppered the Tottenham goal but found Heurelho Gomes in inspired form and they now find themselves six points behind the leaders, Chelsea, with four games to play.

Arsène Wenger admitted afterwards their title aspirations were badly hit by the loss, something echoed by Van Persie. “I don’t think Chelsea will drop more than six points now,” said the striker

The defeat was compounded by Thomas Vermaelen sustaining a calf strain which will keep the defender out for two to three weeks.

Van Persie, though, believes the fact Arsenal have remained in contention until this stage underlines the improvement they have made in the last 12 months.

“No one really expected this,” said the striker following his first appearance in five months. “But when you are this close you really want to win it. When you don’t do that, it is frustrating. It felt good and I am happy to be back. But when you are there and your team is behind you want to do something to help them. Unfortunately I could not do that last night.”

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