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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's chase for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list.

Fresh Team News

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back 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 replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot injury.

"Training, 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 circle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list 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 Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that training intensity were to blame, citing a shortage of time for drills. He emphasized the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two seasons.

Transfer Strategy

Despite a major summer investment over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely looking to enter the January transfer market.

"At the moment we're just focusing on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a question of a short time," he said. "We know how crucial those weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their first loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Focus now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage victory would virtually guarantee a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth consecutive European fixture.

"We are disappointed with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he stated. "This isn't like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."