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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for honors this season is being threatened by a worrying circle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.

Fresh Team News

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their European squad. He comes in for the hurt 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 without 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 fitness problems for the club. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "needs more time," according to the manager.

Arteta rejected the idea that practice methods were to blame, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a significant summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is not planning to dip into the winter recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "It's clear how important those weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The team experienced their first defeat in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group win would virtually guarantee a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth straight successive European match.

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