Mikel Arteta Fears Fitness Woes Could Hinder The Gunners' Silverware Hunt

Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's chase for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning cycle of injuries and a grueling schedule.

Fresh Squad Update

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek clash to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.

"Practice, no because we lack time to train. But clearly 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 truly vicious circle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a long series of injuries for the club. Since the start of last season, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the English top flight.

Long-Term Absentees

• Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until 2025.
• Midfielder Kai Havertz still recover from knee and "requires more time," as stated by the manager.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training intensity were to culprit, citing a shortage of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is not planning to enter the January transfer market.

"At the moment we're just concentrating on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "We know how crucial those weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The squad suffered their initial loss in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Attention now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage victory would virtually secure a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by finding the net in a fifth straight consecutive European fixture.

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