🔗 Share this article

Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for honors this season is being threatened by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Fresh Team News

Star player Declan Rice missed the Champions League clash to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American 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 without players, you are loading other players more, there's a knock-on effect to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."

Dowman's setback is the latest in a extensive series of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last season, they have recorded 95 injuries, the second-most total in the Premier League.

Extended Absences

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

Arteta rejected the suggestion that training intensity were to culprit, citing a lack of time for sessions. He emphasized the strain on available players, some of whom have played over 150 games in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a major summer spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is unlikely planning to enter the winter transfer market.

"Right now we're just focusing on bringing the players back and with luck it will be a matter of a short time," he commented. "It's clear how important those coming weeks are going to be."

Next Challenge

The team experienced their first defeat in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Attention now turns to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually guarantee a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by scoring in a fifth successive European fixture.

"We are frustrated with the outcome, but we have to move forward," he said. "This isn't like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."