🔗 Share this article

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

Key midfielder Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. In addition, 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 European squad. He comes in for the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle injury.

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But clearly the fact that you are missing 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 most recent in a long series of fitness problems for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-highest total in the English top flight.

Extended Absentees

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

Arteta dismissed the idea that training intensity were to blame, pointing to a lack of time for drills. He highlighted the strain on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Transfer Plans

Despite a significant off-season investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the team is unlikely looking to enter the January recruitment market.

"Right now 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 team suffered their first defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, cutting their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Focus now turns to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage win would virtually guarantee a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive European fixture.

"The team is disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," he said. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."