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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's chase for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.

Fresh Team Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot problem.

"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the English top flight.

Long-Term Absences

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

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice intensity were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of time for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Despite a major summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely planning to dip into the winter recruitment market.

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

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage victory would virtually guarantee a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive Champions League match.

"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to move forward," Martinelli said. "This isn't like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."