🔗 Share this article Arteta Fears Injury Woes Could Undermine Arsenal's Silverware Hunt Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list. Latest Squad Update Star player Declan Rice did not travel for the midweek trip to Belgium due to sickness. Meanwhile, forward Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines. There was, however, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian striker registered to their Champions League squad. He replaces the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an ankle problem. "Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously 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 dangerous circle." Dowman's setback is the latest in a long list of injuries for the club. Since the beginning 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 not expected to be back until 2025. Midfielder Kai Havertz continues to rehabilitate from surgery and "requires more time," as stated by the boss. Arteta rejected the idea that training methods were to culprit, pointing to a lack of time for drills. He emphasized the pressure on available players, some of whom have featured over 150 matches in two years. Recruitment Plans Even after a significant summer investment over £250 million, Arteta stated the team is unlikely planning to enter the January recruitment market. "At the moment we're just focusing on getting the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "It's clear how crucial those coming weeks are going to be." Looking Ahead The team suffered their first loss in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the top of the league to two points. Focus now shifts to the European stage, where a sixth consecutive group victory would virtually guarantee a knockout phase place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make history by finding the net in a fifth straight successive Champions League fixture. "We are disappointed with the result, but we have to keep going," he stated. "This isn't like everything is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."