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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's chase for titles this season is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a grueling fixture list.

Fresh Team Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. In addition, 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 comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But clearly 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 vicious cycle."

Dowman's setback is the most recent in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-most total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from knee and "requires more time," according to the manager.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that training methods were to blame, citing a lack of time for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a major summer investment over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is not planning to dip into the winter transfer market.

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

Next Challenge

The team experienced their initial defeat in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the top of the league to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage victory would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League fixture.

"The team is disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."