🔗 Share this article

Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for honors this season is being threatened by a worrying cycle of injuries and a relentless fixture list.

Fresh Team News

Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba remain unavailable.

There was, on a brighter note, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their European squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who picked up an ankle injury.

"Practice, no because we lack 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 vicious cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a long list of injuries for the North London side. Since the start of last campaign, they have recorded 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 surgery and "needs more time," according to the manager.

Arteta rejected the suggestion that training intensity were to culprit, citing a lack of opportunity for sessions. He emphasized the strain on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a significant off-season investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely looking to enter the January transfer market.

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

Looking Ahead

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

Focus now turns to the European stage, where a sixth group win would all but guarantee a knockout phase finish. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by scoring in a fifth straight consecutive European fixture.

"The team is disappointed with the outcome, but we have to move forward," Martinelli said. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we stick together."