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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's chase for titles this season is being threatened by a worrying cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Team News

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot injury.

"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice methods were to culprit, citing a lack of time for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a major off-season spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is not looking to enter the January transfer market.

"At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of weeks," he commented. "It's clear how important those weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad suffered their initial loss in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the top of the Premier League to two points.

Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group victory would all but guarantee a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League fixture.

"We are frustrated with the outcome, but we have to keep going," he said. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."