Jack Wilshere says Arsenal paid the price for failing to make the most of their second-half dominance against Chelsea.

Trailing to an Eden Hazard penalty, the Gunners pushed on after the interval and controlled possession - albeit without fashioning any major chances.

But a 78th-minute strike from Diego Costa condemned them to defeat and Wilshere was left to rue the slim margins that prove so decisive at the highest level.

"We are playing against teams who, when you are on top, you have to make it count or they will punish you. That is what they did" Jack Wilshere

“It was frustrating and we’re disappointed,” he told Arsenal Player. “It was obviously better than last year’s result but at the end of the day we still have the same outcome: no points and a disappointed team.

“We felt that we did alright. In the first 20 to 25 minutes we wanted to come out and keep a clean sheet. In the big games in the past we have lost it in the first 20 minutes so we wanted to keep it tight and I thought we did that.

“Then unfortunately there was a bit of magic from Eden Hazard and they got a penalty - you can’t plan for that.

“I thought we did alright in the second half - we had periods of possession when it felt like we were on top and we had a few half chances, but we didn’t create a clear-cut opportunity - maybe on another day we would score one of those half chances and create a few more.

“We didn’t really see Costa or Fabregas all game and then all of a sudden he gets an opportunity, plays a 50-yard ball to Costa and it’s a goal.

"That is the difference at this level, we are playing against teams who, when you are on top, you have to make it count or they will punish you. That is what they did.”