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

Latest Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American striker added to their European squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an foot problem.

"Training, no because we lack time to train. But obviously 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 dangerous circle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive list of fitness problems for the North London side. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Long-Term Absences

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

Arteta rejected the idea that training methods were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the strain on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant off-season spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is not looking to enter the winter transfer market.

"At the moment we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "It's clear how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The squad experienced their first loss in 18 games at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their lead at the top of the Premier League to two points.

Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage victory would virtually secure a top-eight place. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create history by finding the net in a fifth straight successive Champions League match.

"We are frustrated with the result, but we have to keep going," Martinelli said. "It's not like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."