Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's chase for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.
Fresh Team News
Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines.
There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.
"Training, no because we lack time to train. But clearly 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 list of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the start of last campaign, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-most total in the Premier League.
Extended Absences
- Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
- Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from knee and "needs more time," as stated by the boss.
Arteta dismissed the idea that practice intensity were to culprit, citing a shortage of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two seasons.
Recruitment Plans
Despite a major off-season investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is not planning to enter the winter recruitment market.
"At the moment we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a question of weeks," he commented. "It's clear how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."
Looking Ahead
The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the summit of the league to two points.
Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage win would all but guarantee a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth successive Champions League fixture.
"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he stated. "This isn't like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."
