Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur has conceded that his side lacked a "killer instinct" in their 1-0 defeat to Sunderland at Selhurst Park.

The Eagles missed the chance to climb to sixth in the Premier League as Jermain Defoe scored the only goal of the match to guide Sam Allardyce's men to the three points.

Palace dominated possession of the game, but McArthur has admitted that his side were not good enough in the final third to find a way past Costel Pantilimon.

"I felt we had a lot of the ball but we lacked the killer instinct to try and get that goal, and we've let a poor one in," McArthur told the club's official website.

"I didn't think their formation mattered, we had enough of the ball to create opportunities but in the final third we weren't quite at it.

"As the game went on we should have taken something out of it but that's the Premier League for you. You can't take your foot off the gas and you have to be at it every single week, and if you're not then you won't win games."

Palace remained in 10th place in the table as a result of their defeat.