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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for honors this season is being jeopardized by a worrying cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Squad News

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.

"Practice, no because we lack 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 truly vicious circle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-most total in the Premier League.

Extended Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "requires more time," according to the boss.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training methods were to blame, pointing to a shortage of time for drills. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Despite a major off-season investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking to dip into the January transfer market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of weeks," he said. "We know how important those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The team experienced their first defeat in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their lead at the top of the Premier League to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage victory would all but guarantee a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth straight successive European match.

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