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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying circle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list.

Latest Squad News

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League clash to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle injury.

"Practice, 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 consequence to that and it's a truly vicious circle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent 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 Premier League.

Long-Term Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice methods were to culprit, citing a lack of time for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a major off-season investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking to dip into the January recruitment market.

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

Next Challenge

The team suffered their initial loss in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the top of the league to two points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group win would virtually guarantee a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth straight successive Champions League fixture.

"The team is disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli said. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."