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Ahead of marking his sixth anniversary at the helm, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his longevity in North London is fundamentally dependent to delivering trophies.

Reflecting on: The Arteta Era

The former Arsenal captain took over on the 20th of December in 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup triumph not long after. But, that early success remains his only major honor following the departure of Unai Emery.

“Yes,” he stated in response to a query about his future past 2027. “Yet it's about today. And a lot of things have to happen in the next few months as well to earn the right.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a game facing Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal faced the day after his hiring was confirmed.

Present Challenges

As second-placed Manchester City set to face West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal risk losing first place in the Premier League before their own match begins. This comes notwithstanding Arteta managing a squad that has been plagued by over 100 injuries over the course of last season.

He is under a contract with a year and a half left on the deal he signed in 2024, however, he knows that success is required in the immediate future.

Earning the Right

Arteta elaborated, highlighting the daily requirement to prove his worth. “I think 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 enter the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, expressing gratitude for the consistent faith from the hierarchy, yet identifying the team's buy-in as the key factor. “In the final analysis, the key individuals are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, hunger for knowledge and dedicate themselves to the team.”

Latest Fitness Blow

Arsenal faces the upcoming game coping with an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a strain that is anticipated to see him miss action for a few weeks.

A Different Club

Even with the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta feels the club's “focus and dialogue” are vastly different from when he initially took over.

The manager referenced the team's performances as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Consider the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the caliber we've reached.”

He finished by saying, “This is a standard that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And our aim is to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the correct trajectory to winning.”