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Ahead of marking his half-decade plus one year as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to achieving success.

Reflecting on: Six Years in Charge

Arteta was appointed on December 20th, 2019 and soon guided the team to an FA Cup victory within months. Yet, that early success stands as his lone top-tier trophy since succeeding Unai Emery.

“I can,” the manager said upon being asked about his future past 2027. “But it’s about today. And numerous factors have to happen in the next few months as well to warrant that continuation.”

He will mark the anniversary with a fixture against Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal met the day after his appointment was announced.

League Position and Pressure

Given that trailing Manchester City playing against West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal face being knocked off top spot in the Premier League before their own match begins. This comes despite Arteta overseeing a squad that has been plagued by in excess of one hundred injury setbacks over the course of last season.

The manager is under a contract with 18 months remaining on the deal he signed in 2024, however, he knows that he must deliver promptly.

The Manager's Mandate

He went on to explain, highlighting the ongoing need 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 address the media, how you go into the dressing room, the message you convey.”

He stated further, commending the unwavering support from the board and owners, yet identifying the team's buy-in as paramount. “In the final analysis, the key individuals are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, willingness to improve and give the maximum to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad approaches the upcoming game dealing with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a muscle problem that is expected to sideline him for a few weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Despite the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta feels the club's “focus and dialogue” are vastly different from when he began his reign.

Arteta highlighted the record-breaking achievements as proof they are close. “Examine 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 seen before in the past. And our aim is to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the correct trajectory to winning.”