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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Team News

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to Belgium due to illness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward added to their European 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 missing players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a truly dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a long series of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the English top flight.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from surgery and "needs more time," according to the boss.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that training intensity were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of time for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to enter the winter recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of a short time," he said. "It's clear how crucial those weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

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

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

"We are frustrated with the result, but we have to keep going," he stated. "This isn't like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."