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As he approaches his six-year milestone in charge, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to winning major honors.

A Look Back: The Arteta Era

Arteta was appointed on the 20th of December in 2019 and promptly led the team to an FA Cup victory within months. Yet, that initial silverware remains his only major honor after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Yes,” Arteta responded in response to a query about staying beyond 2027. “But it’s about today. And numerous factors need to fall into place in the near future as well to earn the right.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal faced the day after his appointment was announced.

The Current Landscape

As trailing Manchester City set to face West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal face being knocked off first place in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This situation arises even with Arteta overseeing a squad that has endured more than a century of fitness issues from the beginning of last season.

He is under a contract with a year and a half left on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that results must come in the immediate future.

Earning the Right

The manager expanded, stressing the daily requirement to prove his worth. “My belief is that 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 step into the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He added, expressing gratitude for the strong backing from the board and owners, yet identifying the team's buy-in as most crucial. “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 the maximum to the team.”

Injury Concerns

The team faces the weekend fixture coping with an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a muscle problem that is anticipated to sideline him for the coming weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Even with the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta is confident the club's “priorities and messaging” are vastly different from when he initially took over.

The manager referenced the team's performances as evidence of progress. “Consider the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the standard we operate at.”

He finished by saying, “That is a level 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 correct trajectory to winning.”