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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's chase for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Team News

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian 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 without players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list of injuries for the North London side. Since the beginning 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 unlikely to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "needs more time," according to the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice methods were to culprit, pointing to a lack of opportunity for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Despite a major summer investment over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not looking to dip into the January recruitment market.

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

Looking Ahead

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

Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage victory would virtually guarantee a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth straight successive Champions League fixture.

"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "It's not like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."