Arsenal ace Robin van Persie admits defeat at home to Hull City earlier this season shocked him.

"Look at Hull City," he told the Observer. "They played better than us. In our own stadium. That is not possible.

"I was sitting thinking, they were better than us. That hurts. It is a shock. This kind of thing didn't used to happen much. In the past, even if we lost, we were usually the better team. It was very confronting for me."

He does not shy away from the fact nobody at Arsenal is currently content.

"Playing for a Champions League place is not enough," admits Van Persie. "It is not my target, but it is a target we have to take. It will mean the world to me if we fight again to win the title. It's not ­happening now, but we can do it if we give absolutely everything. We want to build something special for next year, but let's not forget this year can be special, too. From my heart, I still believe we can win the Champions League."