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

Latest Team Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to Belgium due to sickness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their European squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly the fact that you are missing players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive series of fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "needs more time," according to the manager.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice intensity were to culprit, citing a lack of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the pressure on available players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a significant summer spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely looking to enter the winter recruitment market.

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

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their initial defeat in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the top of the league to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group win would all but secure a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth consecutive Champions League fixture.

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