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As he approaches his half-decade plus one year at the helm, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to achieving success.

Reflecting on: Six Years in Charge

The Spanish coach took over on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup triumph within months. Yet, that initial silverware remains his lone major honor since succeeding Unai Emery.

“I can,” Arteta responded upon being asked about his future past 2027. “Yet it's about today. And a lot of things have to happen in the coming months as well to earn the right.”

This weekend sees the landmark with a fixture against Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal met immediately following his appointment was announced.

Present Challenges

With chasing Manchester City playing against West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This comes even with Arteta presiding over a squad that has endured over 100 injuries from the beginning of last season.

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

Earning the Right

Arteta elaborated, highlighting the ongoing need to prove his worth. “In my view a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you address the media, how you enter the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, expressing gratitude for the strong backing from the club's ownership, while singling out the players' commitment as the key factor. “At the end, the most important ones are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, hunger for knowledge and dedicate themselves to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad heads into the weekend fixture managing a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is anticipated to see him miss action for the coming weeks.

A Different Club

Regardless of the availability issues and the high-stakes environment, Arteta feels the club's “objectives and communication” are profoundly distinct from when he initially took over.

He pointed to the team's performances as evidence of progress. “Examine the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

He finished by saying, “That is a level that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And we want to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the correct trajectory to winning.”