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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Squad Update

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

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle injury.

"Practice, no because we lack 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 truly dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a long series of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 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 continues to recover from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice methods were to blame, citing a lack of time for drills. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two years.

Transfer Plans

Even after a major summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely planning to dip into the winter transfer 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 important those weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the top of the league to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would all but guarantee a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth consecutive Champions League fixture.

"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," Martinelli stated. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."