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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's chase for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Team News

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a really dangerous circle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the beginning of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Long-Term Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta dismissed the idea that training intensity were to blame, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Strategy

Despite a major off-season investment over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not looking to enter the winter transfer market.

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

Next Challenge

The squad experienced their first defeat in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually guarantee a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive European fixture.

"We are frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."