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Ahead of marking his six-year milestone at the helm, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is fundamentally dependent to winning major honors.

A Look Back: Six Years in Charge

Arteta took over on 20 December 2019 and soon guided the team to an cup win a short time later. However, that initial silverware stands as his lone major honor after taking over from Unai Emery.

“I can,” he stated upon being asked about his future past 2027. “However, it is about today. And many things have to happen in the coming months as well to warrant that continuation.”

Saturday night brings the six-year milestone with a game facing Everton, the identical team Arsenal met just after his role was made public.

Present Challenges

As trailing Manchester City playing against West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal risk losing top spot in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This comes despite Arteta presiding over a squad that has suffered over 100 injuries over the course of last season.

Arteta is tied down by 18 months remaining on the deal he signed in 2024, however, he knows that he must deliver in the immediate future.

The Manager's Mandate

The manager expanded, highlighting the ongoing need to prove his worth. “My belief is that a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you talk here, how you enter the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He stated further, praising the unwavering support from the club's ownership, while singling out the team's buy-in as paramount. “At the end, the critical component are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, desire to learn and dedicate themselves to the team.”

Injury Concerns

The team heads into the upcoming game managing yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a strain that is anticipated to see him miss action for a few weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Despite the injury crisis and the immense scrutiny, Arteta is confident the club's “focus and dialogue” are profoundly distinct from when he initially took over.

He pointed to the team's performances as proof they are close. “You look at the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the caliber we've reached.”

He finished by saying, “This is a standard 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.”