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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for titles this season is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Squad News

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their European squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot problem.

"Training, no because we lack time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a truly dangerous circle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a long list of fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from knee and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice methods were to culprit, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on available players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Despite a significant off-season spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to dip into the January recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of a short time," he said. "It's clear how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their first loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the summit of the league to two points.

Focus now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group win would all but guarantee a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League match.

"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "This isn't like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."