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Ahead of marking his half-decade plus one year at the helm, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his future at Arsenal is inextricably linked to achieving success.

The Journey So Far: From Appointment to Present

Arteta was appointed on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup victory a short time later. Yet, that first major trophy remains his only significant piece of silverware after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” he stated in response to a query about staying beyond 2027. “But it’s about today. And a lot of things have to happen in the next few months as well to warrant that continuation.”

This weekend sees the landmark with a game facing Everton, the identical team Arsenal played just after his role was made public.

The Current Landscape

With chasing Manchester City set to face West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal face being knocked off the summit in the Premier League for the first time. This comes even with Arteta overseeing a squad that has suffered in excess of one hundred injury setbacks since the start of last season.

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

Earning the Right

Arteta elaborated, stressing the daily requirement to prove his worth. “My belief is that a manager needs to warrant the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you address the media, how you step into the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, praising the unwavering support from the board and owners, while singling out the players' commitment as paramount. “In the final analysis, the most important ones are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, desire to learn and give the maximum to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad heads into the weekend fixture managing yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a muscle problem that is anticipated to sideline him for the coming weeks.

Evolved Priorities

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

The manager referenced the record-breaking achievements as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Examine the performances, all the club records that were shattered... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the caliber we've reached.”

Arteta concluded, “That is a level that the Premier League has not seen before 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.”