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

Latest Squad News

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. In addition, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces 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 placing demands on other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly dangerous circle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the boss.

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

Transfer Plans

Despite a major summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is not looking to enter the winter recruitment market.

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

Next Challenge

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

Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage victory would virtually secure a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive European fixture.

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