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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for honors this season is being jeopardized by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Team Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their European squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle injury.

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly 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 really vicious circle."

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

Extended Absences

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

Arteta rejected the suggestion that training methods were to blame, citing a shortage of opportunity for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a major summer investment over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is not planning to enter the winter recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and hopefully 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 squad suffered their initial loss in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group victory would all but secure a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth consecutive European fixture.

"We are frustrated with the result, but we have to move forward," Martinelli stated. "It's not like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."