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Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Latest Team Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.

"Training, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a truly dangerous cycle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive series of injuries for the club. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absentees

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

Arteta dismissed the idea that training methods were to blame, citing a shortage of time for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a significant summer spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely looking to enter the January recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a question of a short time," he said. "It's clear how important those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad experienced their initial loss in 18 games at the weekend, reducing their lead at the top of the Premier League to two clear points.

Attention now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage win would all but secure a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth straight successive Champions League match.

"The team is disappointed with the result, but we have to move forward," he stated. "This isn't like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."