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On the eve of his sixth anniversary at the helm, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his continued role with the club is fundamentally dependent to delivering trophies.

The Journey So Far: Six Years in Charge

Arteta assumed control on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an cup win a short time later. But, that first major trophy is still his only top-tier trophy following the departure of Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” he stated in response to a query about his future past 2027. “But it’s about today. And many things need to fall into place in the coming months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

This weekend sees the landmark with a match versus Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal met immediately following his hiring was confirmed.

League Position and Pressure

Given that second-placed Manchester City taking on West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal could be displaced top spot in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This comes even with Arteta managing a squad that has been plagued by more than a century of fitness issues since the start of last season.

Arteta is under a contract with 18 months remaining on the deal he signed in 2024, however, he knows that he must deliver in the immediate future.

Survival in the Job

Arteta elaborated, stressing the constant necessity to validate his position. “In my view a manager needs to warrant the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you address the media, how you step into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He added, commending the consistent faith from the club's ownership, but pinpointing the squad's dedication as the key factor. “Ultimately, the critical component are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, desire to learn and give their all to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad approaches the weekend fixture coping with an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a strain that is anticipated to sideline him for a few weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Despite the availability issues and the immense scrutiny, Arteta is confident the club's “objectives and communication” are vastly different from when he initially took over.

The manager referenced the squad's displays as evidence of progress. “Consider the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the level we are at.”

Arteta concluded, “This is a standard that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And our aim is to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the proper course to winning.”