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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list.

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Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker registered to their European squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle problem.

"Training, 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 knock-on effect to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."

Dowman's setback is the most recent in a long list of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the English top flight.

Long-Term Absentees

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

Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice methods were to culprit, pointing to a lack of time 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 investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is not planning to dip into the winter transfer market.

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

Looking Ahead

The team suffered their initial loss in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their lead at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Focus now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually secure a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive European match.

"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to move forward," Martinelli stated. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."