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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a worrying cycle of injuries and a grueling schedule.

Latest Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to sickness. In addition, forward 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 forward registered to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.

"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly vicious circle."

Dowman's setback is the most recent in a long list of injuries for the club. 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 be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from knee and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.

Arteta rejected the idea that training methods were to blame, pointing to a lack of time for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is not looking to dip into the winter transfer market.

"Right now we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a question of weeks," he said. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The team suffered their initial defeat in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage win would all but secure a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive Champions League match.

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