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Mikel Arteta has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for titles this campaign is being threatened by a concerning cycle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.

Fresh Team Update

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain on the sidelines.

There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot injury.

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a really vicious circle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a long series of injuries for the North London side. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-most total in the English top flight.

Long-Term Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "requires more time," according to the manager.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice methods were to blame, pointing to a lack of opportunity for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two years.

Transfer Plans

Even after a major summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely planning to enter the January recruitment market.

"Right now we're just focusing on getting the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "It's clear how important those weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The team suffered their initial loss in 18 matches at the weekend, cutting their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage victory would all but secure a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create history by scoring in a fifth straight successive European fixture.

"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to keep going," he said. "This isn't like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."