Mikel Arteta Fears Fitness Crisis Could Hinder The Gunners' Trophy Hunt

Mikel Arteta has voiced fears that his team's pursuit for titles this campaign is being jeopardized by a concerning circle of fitness setbacks and a relentless fixture list.

Fresh Team News

Star player Declan Rice missed the midweek trip to face Club Brugge due to sickness. Meanwhile, attacker Leandro Trossard and center-back William Saliba are still on the sidelines.

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

"Practice, no because we don't have time to train. But obviously the fact that you are without players, you are placing demands on other players more, there's a consequence to that and it's a truly vicious cycle."

Dowman's issue is the most recent in a extensive list of injuries for the North London side. Since the start 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 "requires more time," as stated by the boss.

Arteta dismissed the suggestion that training methods were to blame, pointing to a lack of opportunity for sessions. He highlighted the pressure on fit players, some of whom have played over 150 matches in two seasons.

Recruitment Strategy

Even after a significant off-season spend over £250 million, Arteta stated the club is not looking to dip into the winter transfer market.

"Right now we're just focusing on getting the players back and hopefully it will be a question of weeks," he commented. "We know how crucial those coming weeks are going to be."

Looking Ahead

The team suffered their initial defeat in 18 matches at the hands of Aston Villa, reducing their advantage at the summit of the Premier League to two points.

Attention now shifts to the Champions League, where a sixth group victory would all but guarantee a knockout phase finish. Winger Gabriel Martinelli could create a club record by scoring in a fifth successive European match.

"We are frustrated with the outcome, but we have to keep going," Martinelli stated. "This isn't like all is going wrong because we lost one game. So we stick together."