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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for titles this season is being threatened by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Team Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker added to their European squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.

"Training, no because we don't have 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 truly vicious circle."

Dowman's setback is the most recent in a extensive list of fitness problems 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 Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from knee and "needs more time," according to the manager.

Arteta rejected the idea that practice methods were to blame, citing a shortage of time for drills. He emphasized the strain on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Despite a significant summer spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not planning to dip into the January transfer market.

"Right now we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a question of a short time," he said. "We know how important those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad suffered their first defeat in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the top of the Premier League to two clear points.

Focus now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would virtually guarantee a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth consecutive Champions League fixture.

"The team is frustrated with the result, but we have to move forward," Martinelli said. "This isn't like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."