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

Fresh Squad News

Star player Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."

Dowman's setback is the most recent in a long series of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "requires more time," according to the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that training methods were to culprit, citing a shortage of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Transfer Plans

Despite a major summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not planning to dip into the winter recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a question of a short time," he commented. "It's clear how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad suffered their first loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the top of the Premier League to two clear points.

Focus now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage victory would virtually secure a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by scoring in a fifth straight successive Champions League match.

"We are disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," he said. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."