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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for honors this season is being jeopardized by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.

Latest Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot injury.

"Practice, no because we don't have 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 really vicious circle."

Dowman's issue 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-highest total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from knee and "needs more time," according to the boss.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice methods were to blame, citing a lack of time for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Transfer Strategy

Even after a significant off-season investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is not planning to enter the January transfer market.

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

Next Challenge

The team suffered their initial defeat in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their lead at the top of the league to two points.

Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth straight successive Champions League fixture.

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