Mikel Arteta Fears Fitness Crisis Could Undermine The Gunners' Silverware Hunt

Arsenal's manager has voiced fears that his squad's pursuit for titles this season is being threatened by a worrying cycle of fitness setbacks and a grueling fixture list.

Latest Squad Update

Key midfielder Declan Rice missed the Champions League trip to face Club Brugge due to illness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and defender William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

There was, on a brighter note, positive news regarding Gabriel Jesus, with the South American forward added to their Champions League squad. He replaces the hurt youngster Max Dowman, who suffered an foot problem.

"Training, 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 consequence to that and it's a really dangerous cycle."

Dowman's issue is the latest in a extensive list of injuries for the club. Since the beginning of last campaign, they have suffered 95 injuries, the second-highest total in the Premier League.

Extended Absentees

• 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," as stated by the boss.

Arteta dismissed the idea that practice intensity were to culprit, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on available players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Plans

Even after a major summer investment exceeding £250 million, Arteta insisted the club is not planning to dip into the winter transfer market.

"Right now we're just concentrating on getting the players back and with luck it will be a matter of weeks," he said. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The team experienced their initial loss in 18 matches at the weekend, reducing their advantage at the summit of the league to two clear points.

Focus now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group-stage victory would all but secure a top-eight finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by finding the net in a fifth successive Champions League fixture.

"We are frustrated with the result, but we have to move forward," he stated. "It's not like everything is going wrong because we lost one game. So we remain united."