LONDON -- Mikel Arteta said an unprecedented fixture calendar is responsible for Arsenal's ongoing injury problems after two more players limped off in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Brentford.
The Gunners restored their five-point lead at the top of the table through goals from Mikel Merino and substitute Bukayo Saka at Emirates Stadium but the win came at a price as both Cristhian Mosquera and Declan Rice were unable to complete the game.
Mosquera was replaced before half-time with a "knee or ankle" problem while Rice appeared to suffer a calf issue as he was withdrawn with seven minutes remaining.
Arsenal have missed a number of players for extended periods this season -- Viktor Gyökeres, Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Magalhães and Kai Havertz among them -- and the Gunners face another quick turnaround with a trip to Aston Villa next up on Saturday lunchtime.
Speaking about Arsenal's fitness issues, Arteta said: "Probably it's not one thing but we can help the players and everybody in the league and everybody to do what we have to do.
"Give us another day and especially the teams that are playing so much in Europe. To everybody in general, I think we can do that because we're all going to benefit from that.
"We've never had such a schedule at every level, not only in the Premier League but every competition internationally as well. So we need to try to do that please.
"I think it's common sense. At some point this becomes too much and the players are not machines. But we have to try to do that when we can."
Merino scored his 10th league goal for the club in another fine performances deputising as Arsenal's centre-forward.
Arteta admitted Merino's surprise contribution this season has made him live more in the present after fretting over how he would fit summer signing Viktor Gyökeres into his lineup alongside his existing players.
"I think that's a lesson," he said. "And I took that lesson because the whole summer I was thinking, if we bring a nine, what was going to happen with Gabi Jesus and Kai? And I had a lot of nines.
"I just think that I like them so much as well. OK, what are we going to do? How are we going to handle it? And so far we haven't had a problem because they've been injured. So live the present, live the moment and deal with the situation when it comes. That's it."