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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.

Latest Team News

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their European squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot injury.

"Practice, no because we lack 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 truly dangerous cycle."

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

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "needs more time," according to the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that training methods were to blame, citing a shortage of time for sessions. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking to dip into the winter transfer market.

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

Next Challenge

The squad suffered their first defeat in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually secure a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth consecutive European match.

"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."