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As he approaches his half-decade plus one year as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his continued role with the club is directly connected to winning major honors.

A Look Back: From Appointment to Present

Arteta took over on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup triumph a short time later. Yet, that first major trophy remains his sole major honor after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Yes,” he stated when questioned about remaining in charge after his current deal. “But it’s about today. And many things need to fall into place in the coming months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

He will mark the six-year milestone with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal met immediately following his appointment was announced.

Present Challenges

Given that chasing Manchester City playing against West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League for the first time. This potential shift even with Arteta managing a squad that has been plagued by in excess of one hundred injury setbacks from the beginning of last season.

Arteta is under a contract with 18 months remaining on the deal he signed in 2024, but is acutely aware that success is required sooner rather than later.

Earning the Right

He went on to explain, highlighting the ongoing need to prove his worth. “I think a manager must deserve the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you address the media, how you step into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He added, expressing gratitude for the strong backing from the board and owners, yet identifying the players' commitment as the key factor. “At the end, the most important ones are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, willingness to improve and give the maximum to the team.”

Injury Concerns

Arsenal faces the weekend fixture managing a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is likely to sideline him for a few weeks.

A Different Club

Despite the availability issues and the immense scrutiny, Arteta feels the club's “objectives and communication” are completely changed from when he first arrived.

Arteta highlighted the team's performances as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Consider the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

In closing, the manager stated, “That is a level that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And our ambition is to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”