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On the eve of his six-year milestone as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is directly connected to delivering trophies.

The Journey So Far: Six Years in Charge

Arteta was appointed on 20 December 2019 and promptly led the team to an cup win a short time later. However, that first major trophy is still his only major honor after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” the manager said in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “Yet it's about today. And a lot of things need to fall into place in the near future as well to earn the right.”

This weekend sees the anniversary with a match versus Everton, the very same club Arsenal met just after his role was made public.

Present Challenges

With chasing Manchester City set to face West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal risk losing top spot in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This comes despite Arteta presiding over a squad that has suffered in excess of one hundred injury setbacks since the start of last season.

He is under a contract with 18 months remaining on the deal he signed in 2024, yet understands fully that results must come in the immediate future.

The Manager's Mandate

The manager expanded, highlighting the daily requirement to validate his position. “I think a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you address the media, how you go into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He stated further, praising the consistent faith from the club's ownership, while singling out the team's buy-in as the key factor. “At the end, the critical component are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, willingness to improve and dedicate themselves to the team.”

Injury Concerns

Arsenal heads into the weekend fixture managing a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is expected to keep him out for a few weeks.

A Different Club

Even with the injury crisis and the intense pressure, Arteta believes the club's “objectives and communication” are completely changed from when he initially took over.

The manager referenced the record-breaking achievements as a sign they are nearing their goal. “You look at the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the level we are at.”

Arteta concluded, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And our ambition is to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the correct trajectory to winning.”