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Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for honors this season is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless schedule.

Fresh Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to Belgium due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot injury.

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are missing 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 long list of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to return until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to recover from surgery and "needs more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that practice intensity were to culprit, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two years.

Transfer Strategy

Even after a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is unlikely looking to enter the winter 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. "We know how important those weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad suffered their initial loss in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group win would all but secure a top-eight finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive European match.

"The team is frustrated with the result, but we have to move forward," he stated. "This isn't like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."