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As he approaches his sixth anniversary as manager, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his future at Arsenal is fundamentally dependent to winning major honors.

The Journey So Far: Six Years in Charge

The former Arsenal captain took over on 20 December 2019 and managed to steer the team to an cup win within months. Yet, that initial silverware remains his only top-tier trophy since succeeding Unai Emery.

“I can,” Arteta responded upon being asked about remaining in charge after his current deal. “But it’s about today. And numerous factors have to happen in the coming months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

He will mark the anniversary with a match versus Everton, the identical team Arsenal faced the day after his hiring was confirmed.

The Current Landscape

As second-placed Manchester City set to face West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal face being knocked off the summit in the Premier League before their own match begins. This situation arises despite Arteta managing a squad that has endured over 100 injuries from the beginning of last season.

The manager is tied down by 18 months to run on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that results must come sooner rather than later.

Survival in the Job

He went on to explain, emphasizing the daily requirement to justify his role. “I think 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 step into the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He added, expressing gratitude for the consistent faith from the club's ownership, while singling out the players' commitment as most crucial. “At the end, the key individuals are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a degree of commitment, willingness to improve and give the maximum to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

Arsenal faces the weekend fixture dealing with an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a hamstring injury that is anticipated to see him miss action for the coming weeks.

A Different Club

Despite the availability issues and the intense pressure, Arteta feels the club's “priorities and messaging” are profoundly distinct from when he began his reign.

Arteta highlighted the squad's displays as evidence of progress. “You look at the performances, all the club records that were shattered... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the standard we operate at.”

In closing, the manager stated, “That is a level that the Premier League has never experienced in the past. And we want to achieve more lofty ambitions. And if we do that, I think we are on the proper course to winning.”