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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for titles this season is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Team News

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their Champions League squad. He comes in for 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 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 long list of injuries for the North London side. Since the start of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice methods were to culprit, citing a lack of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a major summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely looking to enter the winter recruitment market.

"Right now we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of a short time," he said. "We know how important those weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the top of the league to two points.

Focus now turns to the European stage, where a sixth group win would virtually secure a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth straight successive European fixture.

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