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On the eve of his six-year milestone at the helm, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is fundamentally dependent to achieving success.

Reflecting on: The Arteta Era

The former Arsenal captain was appointed on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup triumph within months. But, that initial silverware remains his sole significant piece of silverware after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” Arteta responded when questioned about his future past 2027. “However, it is about today. And many things need to fall into place in the near future as well to warrant that continuation.”

This weekend sees the six-year milestone with a match versus Everton, the very same club Arsenal met the day after his role was made public.

League Position and Pressure

As trailing Manchester City playing against West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal risk losing first place in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This comes even with Arteta presiding over a squad that has endured over 100 injuries from the beginning of last season.

He currently has 18 months remaining on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that results must come promptly.

The Manager's Mandate

The manager expanded, emphasizing the ongoing need to prove his worth. “In my view a manager must deserve the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you address the media, how you go into the dressing room, the message you convey.”

Arteta continued, commending the consistent faith from the board and owners, while singling out the players' commitment as most crucial. “At the end, the key individuals are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, desire to learn and give the maximum to the team.”

Injury Concerns

Arsenal approaches the weekend fixture coping with a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is anticipated to see him miss action for a few weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Regardless of the injury crisis and the intense pressure, Arteta believes the club's “priorities and messaging” are completely changed from when he initially took over.

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

He finished by saying, “That is a level that the Premier League has not seen before 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.”