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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying circle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

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

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

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

Long-Term Absentees

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

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice methods were to culprit, citing a shortage of opportunity for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a major off-season investment over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is not planning to enter the winter transfer market.

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

Looking Ahead

The team suffered their first defeat in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

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

"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."