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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying circle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Latest Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League clash to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle problem.

"Training, no because we lack time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a really vicious circle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a extensive list of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the start of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from knee and "needs more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta rejected the idea that training methods were to culprit, pointing to a lack of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

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

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

Next Challenge

The team experienced their initial loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group win would virtually secure a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive Champions League match.

"The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "This isn't like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."