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

Fresh Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their European squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.

"Practice, 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 knock-on effect to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive series of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Long-Term Absences

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

Arteta dismissed the idea that training intensity were to culprit, citing a lack of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a significant summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is not looking to dip into the January transfer market.

"Right now we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of weeks," he said. "It's clear how important those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The team experienced their first defeat in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the top of the league to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group-stage victory would virtually guarantee a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth successive European fixture.

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