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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's chase for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling schedule.

Fresh Team Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

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

"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really vicious cycle."

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

Long-Term Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from knee and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.

Arteta rejected the idea that practice intensity were to culprit, citing a lack of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a major summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely looking to dip into the winter transfer market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of weeks," he commented. "It's clear how crucial those weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The team suffered their first defeat in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League fixture.

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