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Ahead of marking his sixth anniversary as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his continued role with the club is fundamentally dependent to achieving success.

A Look Back: Six Years in Charge

The former Arsenal captain was appointed on 20 December 2019 and promptly led the team to an FA Cup victory a short time later. But, that first major trophy remains his sole major honor since succeeding Unai Emery.

“Yes,” Arteta responded in response to a query about staying beyond 2027. “But it’s about today. And many things need to fall into place in the coming months as well to earn the right.”

This weekend sees the landmark with a fixture against Everton, the identical team Arsenal faced immediately following his role was made public.

League Position and Pressure

As trailing Manchester City playing against West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal face being knocked off the summit in the Premier League before their own match begins. This potential shift even with Arteta presiding over a squad that has been plagued by in excess of one hundred injury setbacks over the course of last season.

The manager currently has 18 months remaining on the extension he agreed to in 2024, yet understands fully that results must come sooner rather than later.

Survival in the Job

Arteta elaborated, emphasizing the ongoing need to prove his worth. “I think a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you communicate, how you enter the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, praising the unwavering support from the hierarchy, while singling out the team's buy-in as paramount. “Ultimately, the most important ones are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, willingness to improve and give the maximum to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad faces the Everton match managing yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been ruled out with a strain that is anticipated to sideline him for several weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Despite the availability issues and the immense scrutiny, Arteta is confident the club's “objectives and communication” are vastly different from when he began his reign.

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 have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that shows the level we are at.”

Arteta concluded, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And we want to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the proper course to winning.”