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Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Team Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, positive 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 injury.

"Practice, 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 consequence to that and it's a truly vicious circle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive series of injuries for the North London side. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Long-Term Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from knee and "requires more time," according to the manager.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that practice intensity were to blame, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a significant off-season spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking to enter the January transfer market.

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

Looking Ahead

The team experienced their initial loss in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the top of the Premier League to two clear points.

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

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