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As he approaches his half-decade plus one year at the helm, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his future at Arsenal is fundamentally dependent to delivering trophies.

Reflecting on: Six Years in Charge

The Spanish coach assumed control on the 20th of December in 2019 and soon guided the team to an cup win not long after. However, that early success remains his lone major honor since succeeding Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” Arteta responded in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “Yet it's about today. And numerous factors must occur in the coming months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

He will mark the anniversary with a game facing Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal met immediately following his appointment was announced.

Present Challenges

As second-placed Manchester City taking on West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal could be displaced the summit in the Premier League for the first time. This comes even with Arteta managing a squad that has endured in excess of one hundred injury setbacks since the start of last season.

Arteta is tied down by 18 months to run on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that results must come sooner rather than later.

Earning the Right

Arteta elaborated, stressing the ongoing need to justify his role. “My belief is that a manager must deserve the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you talk here, how you step into the dressing room, the message you convey.”

He added, commending the consistent faith from the club's ownership, yet identifying the players' commitment as paramount. “At the end, the key individuals are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a degree of commitment, willingness to improve and give their all to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The squad heads into the weekend fixture coping with a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a strain that is likely to keep him out for the coming weeks.

A Different Club

Despite the fitness woes and the high-stakes environment, Arteta feels the club's “focus and dialogue” are profoundly distinct from when he first arrived.

The manager referenced the team's performances as proof they are close. “You look at the performances, all the club records that were shattered... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the standard we operate at.”

He finished by saying, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And we want to achieve more lofty ambitions. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”