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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's chase for titles this season is being jeopardized by a worrying cycle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still unavailable.

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

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing 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 extensive list of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from knee and "requires more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that training intensity were to culprit, citing a shortage of time for sessions. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Transfer Plans

Despite a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not planning to dip into the January transfer market.

"Right now we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of a short time," he said. "It's clear how important those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The team suffered their initial loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Focus now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually secure a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League match.

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