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On the eve of his sixth anniversary in charge, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his future at Arsenal is fundamentally dependent to winning major honors.

Reflecting on: Six Years in Charge

The former Arsenal captain was appointed 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 sole top-tier trophy following the departure of Unai Emery.

“I can,” Arteta responded when questioned about staying beyond 2027. “Yet it's about today. And many things must occur in the coming months as well to earn the right.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal faced the day after his role was made public.

Present Challenges

With second-placed Manchester City taking on West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing top spot in the Premier League before their own match begins. This situation arises even with Arteta managing a squad that has suffered over 100 injuries over the course of last season.

Arteta is tied down by a year and a half left on the extension he agreed to in 2024, yet understands fully that results must come in the immediate future.

Survival in the Job

Arteta elaborated, stressing the daily requirement to validate his position. “In my view a manager must deserve 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 message you convey.”

He added, commending the unwavering support from the club's ownership, yet identifying the squad's dedication as the key factor. “Ultimately, the most important ones are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a degree of commitment, hunger for knowledge and dedicate themselves to the team.”

Injury Concerns

The team faces the upcoming game managing an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a strain that is anticipated to sideline him for several weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Despite the availability issues and the immense scrutiny, Arteta believes the club's “objectives and communication” are vastly different from when he first arrived.

He pointed to the team's performances as proof they are close. “Consider the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the standard we operate at.”

Arteta concluded, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And our aim is to achieve more lofty ambitions. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”