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As he approaches his six-year milestone in charge, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his longevity in North London is fundamentally dependent to achieving success.

A Look Back: From Appointment to Present

Arteta was appointed on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an cup win within months. Yet, that early success stands as his lone significant piece of silverware since succeeding Unai Emery.

“I can,” Arteta responded upon being asked about staying beyond 2027. “However, it is about today. And numerous factors have to happen in the coming months as well to earn the right.”

This weekend sees the landmark with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal faced just after his appointment was announced.

Present Challenges

With second-placed Manchester City set to face West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League before their own match begins. This situation arises even with Arteta overseeing a squad that has endured over 100 injuries from the beginning of last season.

Arteta currently has a year and a half left on the deal he signed in 2024, but is acutely aware that results must come sooner rather than later.

Survival in the Job

He went on to explain, emphasizing the constant necessity to validate his position. “In my view a manager needs to warrant the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you communicate, how you enter the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

Arteta continued, expressing gratitude for the strong backing from the hierarchy, while singling out the squad's dedication as the key factor. “Ultimately, the critical component are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, desire to learn and give their all to the team.”

Latest Fitness Blow

The squad faces the weekend fixture managing a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a hamstring injury that is expected to see him miss action for a few weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Regardless of the availability issues and the high-stakes environment, Arteta feels the club's “focus and dialogue” are profoundly distinct from when he first arrived.

He pointed to the record-breaking achievements as evidence of progress. “You look at 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, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has never experienced 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.”