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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker registered to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot injury.

"Training, no because we lack time to train. But obviously 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 truly dangerous circle."

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

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training methods were to blame, citing a shortage of time for drills. He highlighted the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is not looking to enter the winter recruitment market.

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

Looking Ahead

The squad suffered their first defeat in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the top of the Premier League to two clear points.

Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group win would all but secure a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make history by finding the net in a fifth straight successive European match.

"We are disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."