🔗 Share this article Arteta Fears Injury Woes Could Hinder The Gunners' Trophy Hunt Arsenal's manager has expressed concern that his squad's pursuit for honors this campaign is being threatened by a concerning circle of injuries and a relentless fixture list. Latest Team Update Star player Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to Belgium due to sickness. In addition, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still unavailable. There was, however, better news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian forward added to their Champions League squad. He comes in for the injured youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot 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 consequence to that and it's a truly vicious cycle." Dowman's setback is the most recent in a extensive series of injuries for the North London side. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have recorded 95 player absences, the second-most total in the Premier League. Long-Term Absences Defenders Cristhian Mosquera and Gabriel Magalhães are unlikely to be back until 2025. Midfielder Kai Havertz still rehabilitate from knee and "needs more time," as stated by the boss. Arteta rejected the idea that practice methods were to culprit, citing a shortage of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have featured over 150 games in two seasons. Recruitment Strategy Even after a major summer spend exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not planning to enter the winter transfer market. "Right now we're just focusing on bringing the players back and hopefully it will be a matter of a short time," he commented. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be." Looking Ahead The squad suffered their initial loss in 18 games at the weekend, cutting their lead at the summit of the Premier League to two clear points. Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth consecutive group-stage victory would virtually guarantee a top-eight place. Forward Gabriel Martinelli could make a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive European fixture. "The team is frustrated with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli said. "It's not like all is going badly because we lost one game. So we remain united."