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Ahead of marking his six-year milestone as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is directly connected to delivering trophies.

Reflecting on: From Appointment to Present

Arteta was appointed on 20 December 2019 and soon guided the team to an cup win not long after. But, that first major trophy stands as his sole significant piece of silverware following the departure of Unai Emery.

“I can,” he stated upon being asked about staying beyond 2027. “However, it is about today. And a lot of things have to happen in the coming months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

He will mark the landmark with a match versus Everton, the very same club Arsenal faced just after his appointment was announced.

Present Challenges

With second-placed Manchester City set to face West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing first place in the Premier League before their own match begins. This potential shift notwithstanding Arteta managing a squad that has been plagued by over 100 injuries over the course of last season.

He currently has 18 months to run on the contract he inked in 2024, but is acutely aware that results must come sooner rather than later.

The Manager's Mandate

Arteta elaborated, emphasizing the constant necessity to validate his position. “My belief is that a manager needs to warrant the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you communicate, how you enter the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, praising the consistent faith from the club's ownership, while singling out the players' commitment as most crucial. “In the final analysis, the most important ones are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, desire to learn and give the maximum to the team.”

Injury Concerns

Arsenal approaches the weekend fixture coping with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is expected to see him miss action for the coming weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Despite the fitness woes and the high-stakes environment, Arteta feels the club's “objectives and communication” are vastly different from when he first arrived.

The manager referenced the record-breaking achievements as a sign they are nearing their goal. “You look at the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the standard we operate at.”

Arteta concluded, “It represents a quality 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 correct trajectory to winning.”