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On the eve of his six-year milestone at the helm, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his future at Arsenal is fundamentally dependent to winning major honors.

A Look Back: Six Years in Charge

The Spanish coach was appointed on 20 December 2019 and managed to steer the team to an cup win not long after. However, that early success stands as his sole significant piece of silverware since succeeding Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” Arteta responded upon being asked about remaining in charge after his current deal. “Yet it's about today. And many things have to happen in the next few months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

This weekend sees the anniversary with a match versus Everton, the identical team Arsenal faced the day after his role was made public.

League Position and Pressure

Given that second-placed Manchester City playing against West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal face being knocked off top spot in the Premier League before their own match begins. This comes notwithstanding Arteta presiding over a squad that has been plagued by in excess of one hundred injury setbacks from the beginning of last season.

He is under a contract with a year and a half left on the deal he signed in 2024, but is acutely aware that results must come sooner rather than later.

Survival in the Job

Arteta elaborated, stressing the constant necessity to validate his position. “In my view a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you address the media, 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 squad's dedication as the key factor. “Ultimately, the most important ones are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a degree of commitment, willingness to improve and give their all to the team.”

Latest Fitness Blow

The squad approaches the Everton match coping with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a strain that is expected to sideline him for the coming weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Despite the availability issues and the high-stakes environment, Arteta is confident the club's “objectives and communication” are profoundly distinct from when he began his reign.

Arteta highlighted the squad's displays as evidence of progress. “Examine the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

He finished by saying, “This is a standard that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And our ambition is to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”