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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a worrying circle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Team Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward registered to their European squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot problem.

"Training, 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 setback is the most recent in a extensive list of injuries for the club. Since the start 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 unlikely to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta rejected the idea that practice methods were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of time for sessions. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant summer spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to enter the winter transfer market.

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

Looking Ahead

The team suffered their first defeat in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the top of the Premier League to two points.

Focus now turns to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage victory would all but secure a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth successive European match.

"We are disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."