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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Latest Squad News

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to Belgium due to sickness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.

"Training, no because we lack time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of injuries for the North London side. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from knee and "needs more time," according to the boss.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice methods were to culprit, citing a shortage of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant summer spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the club is not planning to dip into the winter recruitment market.

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

Next Challenge

The squad suffered their first loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the top of the league to two points.

Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would virtually guarantee a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth straight successive Champions League match.

"The team is disappointed 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 remain united."