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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's chase for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of fitness setbacks and a grueling schedule.

Fresh Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to Belgium due to sickness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle problem.

"Practice, 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 knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice methods were to culprit, citing a lack of opportunity for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Despite a significant summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely looking to enter the January transfer market.

"Right now we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of weeks," he commented. "We know how important those weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad suffered their initial defeat in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

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

"We are disappointed with the result, but we have to move forward," he stated. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."