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Ahead of marking his six-year milestone as manager, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to delivering trophies.

Reflecting on: Six Years in Charge

The former Arsenal captain assumed control on December 20th, 2019 and promptly led the team to an FA Cup triumph within months. But, that initial silverware stands as his sole major honor since succeeding Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” the manager said when questioned about remaining in charge after his current deal. “Yet 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 fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal played just after his role was made public.

League Position and Pressure

Given that trailing Manchester City set to face West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal face being knocked off first place in the Premier League for the first time. This situation arises even with Arteta overseeing a squad that has suffered in excess of one hundred injury setbacks from the beginning of last season.

Arteta is under a contract with 18 months to run on the deal he signed in 2024, however, he knows that success is required promptly.

Earning the Right

Arteta elaborated, emphasizing the constant necessity to validate his position. “In my view a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you communicate, how you go into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

Arteta continued, praising the strong backing from the hierarchy, while singling out the team's buy-in as the key factor. “In the final analysis, the most important ones are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, willingness to improve and dedicate themselves to the team.”

Injury Concerns

The team heads into the Everton match dealing with a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a muscle problem that is expected to sideline him for several weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Despite the availability issues and the high-stakes environment, Arteta is confident the club's “objectives and communication” are profoundly distinct from when he began his reign.

The manager referenced the record-breaking achievements as evidence of progress. “Consider the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the standard we operate at.”

He finished by saying, “This is a standard 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 proper course to winning.”