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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his team's chase for titles this season is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a grueling fixture list.

Fresh Team Update

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

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their European squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle problem.

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a knock-on effect 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 beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absences

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

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

Transfer Plans

Even after a major off-season investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to enter the January recruitment market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a question of weeks," he commented. "We know how crucial those weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad experienced their first loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the top of the league to two points.

Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth group-stage victory would all but guarantee a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by finding the net in a fifth straight successive Champions League fixture.

"We are disappointed with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "This isn't like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."