Arsenal's ambitions of finally ending their long wait for a Premier League crown took a major hit over the weekend as they dropped two vital points against Sunderland. The 2-2 draw- sealed by a gutting last-minute strike from Brian Brobbey - left the Gunners heading into the international break frustrated, wounded and searching for solutions.

Mikel Arteta's men remain at the top of the league but Manchester City have narrowed the margin to just four points after dismantling Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday. To make matters more concerning, Arsenal now face a punishing stretch of matches, with Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea all on the horizon before the month ends.

Consequently, what once felt like an air of invincibility around the Emirates Stadium has started to evaporate, replaced by an all-too-familiar sense of unease and vulnerability. Sunderland's goals, after all, were the first conceded by Arsenal since September, ending a streak of eight straight clean sheets and cracking their defensive aura.

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Beyond that, several deeper issues have emerged which, if not addressed promptly, could derail their pursuit of the title altogether. Here, football.london rounds up the most recent Arsenal developments.

Mikel Arteta had requested that Arsenal's Premier League fixture against Everton on December 21 be shifted to December 20 to ease their congested schedule - and the Premier League has now approved the change. The Spanish coach was left furious after discovering that his team would otherwise have to play two games within 72 hours, with a Carabao Cup tie against Crystal Palace scheduled for December 23.

Speaking on Saturday, he confirmed that the club had spoken directly with league officials to find a solution. "All the time the only thing that we talk about is the welfare of the players and the supporters and if we want to maintain that principle this cannot be the case - we cannot play Sunday and Tuesday," Arteta said.

"So we have very positive talks to the clubs and to the Premier League and hopefully we'll find a way to help as much as possible... we cannot allow ourselves to put in that situation."

The league later released a statement confirming the decision: "Player welfare is a priority for the Premier League, and we have therefore granted requests from Arsenal and Crystal Palace to move their respective fixtures."

Martin Odegaard is still facing an extended period out, according to Norway boss Stale Solbakken, who revealed that the Arsenal captain remains "some distance" from making his comeback.

When asked about Odegaard's progress ahead of Norway's meeting with Estonia, Solbakken explained: "It is steady. It is going in a steady direction but he is some distance away."

Odegaard picked up an MCL injury in Arsenal's 2-0 win over West Ham in October following a knee collision with Crysencio Summerville. The creative midfielder is now undergoing an important phase of his recovery back home in Norway.

The update is a significant setback for Arsenal, who will be eager to welcome their influential playmaker back swiftly as they push to maintain their title challenge.

Having players return from injury can be a blessing - but also a potential problem. That's the view of Wayne Rooney, who believes too many returning stars can cause selection dilemmas and even tension within the squad.

Alongside Odegaard, Arsenal are still missing Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli. For much of the campaign, Arteta's attacking options have been straightforward due to absences, but with several first-team regulars approaching fitness, striking the right balance could prove difficult.

"It can cause problems, similar to Liverpool when they sign too many players and you have got players who are getting left on the bench who normally would be playing, that can cause problems as well in the dressing room," Rooney said on The Overlap Fan Debate.

"I don't think it's always a good thing to have everyone [available] if you have such a good squad, it's actually sometimes probably quite refreshing for the manager to have them out."

Havertz, Madueke, and Martinelli are all expected to return before the end of November, with Odegaard and Jesus likely to follow in December and January. Arteta will have to carefully balance playing time and dressing-room harmony to keep spirits high as Arsenal head towards the decisive second half of the campaign.