Arsenal ended a difficult week in miserable fashion as they lost 2-1 to Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium on Sunday.
First-half goals from Lewis Dunk and Glenn Murray secured all three points for the home side, despite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang halving the deficit before the break.
The result is certain to pile more pressure on Gunners manager Arsene Wenger, who was the subject of angry chants from visiting fans demanding his departure.
Arsenal went into the match on the back of consecutive 3-0 defeats to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final and Premier League, and they found themselves in more trouble when Dunk broke the deadlock seven minutes in.
Murray’s header, his sixth goal in 2018, put Brighton two up after a mistake by Laurent Koscielny, prompting an angry response from the travelling supporters.
Aubameyang got a goal back but it was not enough to prevent a fourth defeat in a row in all competitions for the Gunners, marking their worst run since 2002 and leaving them facing a major challenge to finish in the top four.