🔗 Share this article

Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's chase for honors this campaign is being jeopardized by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling schedule.

Latest Squad News

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba remain unavailable.

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

"Training, 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 knock-on effect to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have suffered 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the English top flight.

Extended Absences

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are not expected to return until the new year.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from knee and "requires more time," according to the manager.

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice intensity were to culprit, pointing to a shortage of opportunity for drills. He emphasized the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Despite a significant off-season spend over £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely planning to dip into 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 weeks," he commented. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The team experienced their initial loss in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their advantage at the top of the league to two points.

Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage victory would virtually guarantee a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth straight successive European fixture.

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