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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's chase for honors this season is being threatened by a worrying circle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Team Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the Champions League clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still unavailable.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their European squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.

"Practice, 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 knock-on effect to that and it's a truly dangerous circle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive series of injuries for the North London side. Since the start 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 unlikely to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from knee and "requires more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice intensity were to culprit, pointing to a lack of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Transfer Plans

Even after a major summer spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not looking to dip into the winter transfer market.

"Right now we're just focusing on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of weeks," he commented. "We know how important those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The team suffered their first defeat in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the top of the league to two points.

Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage win would virtually guarantee a top-eight place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League fixture.

"We are disappointed 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 remain united."