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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his squad's chase for honors this season is being jeopardized by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Fresh Squad Update

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

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker registered to their European squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle injury.

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a long series of injuries for the North London side. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

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

Arteta rejected the suggestion that training intensity were to culprit, citing a lack of opportunity for drills. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a major summer spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely looking to enter the January transfer market.

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

Next Challenge

The squad suffered their initial loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually guarantee a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth straight successive Champions League match.

"The team is frustrated with the result, but we have to move forward," Martinelli stated. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."