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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for honors this campaign is being threatened by a worrying cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Team Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot problem.

"Practice, no because we don't have 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 dangerous circle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a extensive list of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from knee and "needs more time," as stated by the boss.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training intensity were to blame, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a significant summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is not planning to dip into the January transfer market.

"At the moment 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 weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad experienced their first loss in 18 matches at the weekend, cutting their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would virtually secure a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by scoring in a fifth successive Champions League fixture.

"The team is disappointed with the result, but we have to move forward," he said. "It's not like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."