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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's chase for titles this season is being threatened by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list.

Fresh Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle problem.

"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly 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 truly dangerous cycle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that training methods were to blame, citing a lack of time for sessions. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two years.

Transfer Strategy

Even after a significant summer spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is not looking to enter the January transfer market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of a short time," he said. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group win would virtually secure a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive European match.

"We are disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."