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Ahead of marking his half-decade plus one year in charge, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his future at Arsenal is directly connected to achieving success.

The Journey So Far: Six Years in Charge

Arteta was appointed on the 20th of December in 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup victory a short time later. But, that initial silverware is still his only top-tier trophy following the departure of Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” he stated in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “But it’s about today. And many things need to fall into place in the next few months as well to earn the right.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal met immediately following his appointment was announced.

League Position and Pressure

With second-placed Manchester City playing against West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League for the first time. This comes notwithstanding Arteta managing a squad that has endured in excess of one hundred injury setbacks since the start of last season.

The manager is tied down by 18 months to run on the extension he agreed to in 2024, but is acutely aware that he must deliver promptly.

Survival in the Job

He went on to explain, stressing the ongoing need to justify his role. “I think a manager must deserve the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you communicate, how you go into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

Arteta continued, expressing gratitude for the unwavering support from the club's ownership, while singling out the team's buy-in as the key factor. “At the end, the most important ones are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a degree of commitment, desire to learn and give the maximum to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad heads into the upcoming game managing yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a strain that is likely to sideline him for a few weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Despite the injury crisis and the immense scrutiny, Arteta believes the club's “focus and dialogue” are completely changed from when he began his reign.

He pointed to the squad's displays as proof they are close. “Consider the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

In closing, the manager stated, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And we want to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”