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On the eve of his sixth anniversary as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his continued role with the club is fundamentally dependent to delivering trophies.

Reflecting on: The Arteta Era

The former Arsenal captain was appointed on 20 December 2019 and soon guided the team to an cup win within months. However, that initial silverware is still his sole significant piece of silverware after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” he stated when questioned 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 next few months as well to earn the right.”

He will mark the anniversary with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal faced immediately following his appointment was announced.

League Position and Pressure

As chasing Manchester City taking on West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal could be displaced top spot in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This potential shift even with Arteta presiding over a squad that has endured in excess of one hundred injury setbacks from the beginning of last season.

Arteta is under a contract with 18 months remaining on the extension he agreed to in 2024, yet understands fully that results must come sooner rather than later.

Earning the Right

He went on to explain, emphasizing the daily requirement to justify his role. “My belief is that a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you talk here, how you go into the dressing room, the signal you send.”

Arteta continued, commending the consistent faith from the hierarchy, but pinpointing the players' commitment as most crucial. “In the final analysis, the key individuals are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, desire to learn and give their all to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

Arsenal faces the weekend fixture managing yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a hamstring injury that is anticipated to sideline him for the coming weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Despite the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta is confident the club's “priorities and messaging” 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 have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the standard we operate at.”

Arteta concluded, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And we want to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”