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Ahead of marking his half-decade plus one year as manager, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his continued role with the club is inextricably linked to achieving success.

A Look Back: Six Years in Charge

The former Arsenal captain assumed control on the 20th of December in 2019 and promptly led the team to an FA Cup victory a short time later. However, that initial silverware remains his only top-tier trophy after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Yes,” Arteta responded in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “However, it is about today. And a lot of things have to happen in the next few months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

Saturday night brings the six-year milestone with a game facing Everton, the identical team Arsenal met immediately following his appointment was announced.

League Position and Pressure

Given that second-placed Manchester City playing against West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal face being knocked off top spot in the Premier League before their own match begins. This comes notwithstanding Arteta managing a squad that has been plagued by in excess of one hundred injury setbacks since the start of last season.

The manager is tied down by a year and a half left on the deal he signed in 2024, however, he knows that he must deliver promptly.

Survival in the Job

The manager expanded, stressing the daily requirement 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 talk here, how you go into the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, commending the strong backing from the board and owners, while singling out the team's buy-in as the key factor. “At the end, the key individuals are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, hunger for knowledge and give their all to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The team faces the upcoming game dealing with an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a strain that is anticipated to see him miss action for a few weeks.

A Different Club

Regardless of the availability issues and the immense scrutiny, Arteta is confident the club's “objectives and communication” are profoundly distinct from when he began his reign.

The manager referenced the squad's displays as evidence of progress. “Examine the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the caliber we've reached.”

He finished by saying, “It represents a quality 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.”