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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's chase for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League clash to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot injury.

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a truly dangerous cycle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of injuries for the club. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the boss.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice methods were to blame, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years.

Transfer Plans

Even after a major summer spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking to enter the January recruitment market.

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

Looking Ahead

The team experienced their initial defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the summit of the league to two points.

Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group win would virtually guarantee a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth successive Champions League fixture.

"We are disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli said. "This isn't like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."