Wickham: Arsenal were lucky

Cape Town - Crystal Palace striker Connor Wickham has put Sunday's 2-1 loss to Arsenal down to bad luck and said the Eagles deserved at least a point from their first home game of the season.

Damien Delaney's own goal sealed the win for the Gunners, after Joel Ward cancelled out Olivier Giroud's opener.

"It's a frustrating result," the 22-year-old said in an interview posted on the club's website (www.cpfc.co.uk).

"We started the second half well, but they got a lucky goal and now we have to pick ourselves up.

"It was lucky because it could have gone anywhere and unfortunately for us it's gone in our top corner.

"I think the performance we put in today (Sunday) we deserved more, especially with the chances we created which we could have done more with."

Wickham nearly put his side ahead just after half-time with the score at 1-1 but his shot struck the frame of the goal.

"If the ball was wet and it had a bit of grease on it then it would go in off the post but it was sticky and it stayed out," he said.

"It's just one of those things so I've just got to pick myself up along with the rest of the lads and we'll do better next week and hopefully then I can get my first goal."

Palace, who won their season opener against Norwich City 3-1, host Aston Villa on Saturday.