Roberto Martinez believes that his Everton team were the victims of misfortune in the 2-0 defeat away to Southampton today.

First-half own goals from Antolin Alcaraz and Seamus Coleman significantly dented the Toffees' Champions League qualification bid at St Mary's, with top-four rivals Arsenal boasting a game in hand.

Romelu Lukaku spurned a good chance to halve the deficit in the second half, while there was also a penalty appeal waved away after Leon Osman went down under a challenge from Dejan Lovren.

However, the Spaniard believes that the result could have been different had the Merseysiders had luck on their side on the South Coast today.

"We needed that goal," he told Sky Sports News. "We had a couple of chances for Lukaku in the second half and for me it was a penalty on Leon Osman.

"There were key moments when we needed that little bit of luck. It could have been a different ending if we had got that goal."

Consequently, Martinez's men sit one point behind the fourth-placed Gunners, who play Newcastle United on Monday night.