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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for titles this season is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, better 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 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 circle."

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

Long-Term Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the boss.

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice methods were to blame, pointing to a shortage of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a significant summer spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely looking to dip into the January transfer market.

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

Next Challenge

The team suffered their initial defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage victory would virtually secure a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive Champions League fixture.

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