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On the eve of his sixth anniversary as manager, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his future at Arsenal is fundamentally dependent to achieving success.

Reflecting on: From Appointment to Present

The former Arsenal captain took over on the 20th of December in 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup victory a short time later. Yet, that first major trophy remains his lone top-tier trophy following the departure of Unai Emery.

“Yes,” Arteta responded when questioned about his future past 2027. “Yet it's about today. And numerous factors have to happen in the next few months as well to warrant that continuation.”

This weekend sees the anniversary with a game facing Everton, the very same club Arsenal met just after his hiring was confirmed.

The Current Landscape

With second-placed Manchester City taking on West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing top spot in the Premier League before their own match begins. This situation arises despite Arteta managing a squad that has endured over 100 injuries over the course of last season.

Arteta is tied down by a year and a half left on the contract he inked in 2024, yet understands fully that he must deliver in the immediate future.

Survival in the Job

Arteta elaborated, stressing the constant necessity to prove his worth. “My belief is that a manager must deserve the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you address the media, how you enter the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He added, praising the unwavering support from the hierarchy, but pinpointing the team's buy-in as the key factor. “Ultimately, the key individuals are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a degree of commitment, hunger for knowledge and dedicate themselves to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad faces the weekend fixture dealing with a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a strain that is likely to see him miss action for a few weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Regardless of the fitness woes and the immense scrutiny, Arteta is confident the club's “focus and dialogue” are completely changed from when he began his reign.

Arteta highlighted the team's performances as evidence of progress. “Consider the performances, all the club records that were shattered... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the level we are at.”

He finished by saying, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has never experienced 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.”