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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's chase for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying circle of injuries and a grueling schedule.

Fresh Team News

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

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

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a truly dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a long series of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta rejected the idea that training intensity were to blame, pointing to a lack of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a major summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not looking to dip into the January recruitment market.

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

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the top of the league to two points.

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

"The team is disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," he stated. "This isn't like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."