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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's chase for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of injuries and a grueling schedule.

Fresh Team Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, 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 South American forward added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle injury.

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly vicious circle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list of injuries for the club. Since the start of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

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

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice methods were to blame, pointing to a lack of time for drills. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two years.

Transfer Strategy

Even after a major summer spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking 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 matter of a short time," he commented. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The team experienced their initial defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their lead at the summit of the league to two points.

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

"We are frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "This isn't like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."