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Ahead of marking his six-year milestone as manager, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his continued role with the club is inextricably linked to achieving success.

A Look Back: From Appointment to Present

The former Arsenal captain took over on December 20th, 2019 and promptly led the team to an cup win not long after. But, that early success remains his only top-tier trophy following the departure of Unai Emery.

“I can,” he stated upon being asked about his future past 2027. “Yet it's about today. And many things have to happen in the coming months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a match versus Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal met immediately following his appointment was announced.

League Position and Pressure

Given that second-placed Manchester City taking on West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This comes even with Arteta managing a squad that has endured more than a century of fitness issues since the start of last season.

Arteta currently has a year and a half left on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that he must deliver promptly.

Survival in the Job

He went on to explain, emphasizing the ongoing need to prove his worth. “My belief is that 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 go into the dressing room, the message you convey.”

He stated further, commending the consistent faith from the board and owners, but pinpointing the squad's dedication as paramount. “In the final analysis, the key individuals are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, hunger for knowledge and give their all to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The team faces the weekend fixture managing an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is anticipated to see him miss action for several weeks.

A Different Club

Despite the injury crisis and the high-stakes environment, Arteta feels the club's “objectives and communication” are vastly different from when he initially took over.

He pointed to the team's performances as evidence of progress. “You look at the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

In closing, the manager stated, “This is a standard that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And we want to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the proper course to winning.”