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Ahead of marking his sixth anniversary in charge, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his continued role with the club is directly connected to achieving success.

A Look Back: Six Years in Charge

The former Arsenal captain was appointed on the 20th of December in 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup victory not long after. Yet, that first major trophy remains his sole major honor after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” Arteta responded in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “Yet it's about today. And many things have to happen in the next few months as well to warrant that continuation.”

Saturday night brings the six-year milestone with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal met immediately following his hiring was confirmed.

Present Challenges

With trailing Manchester City set to face West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal face being knocked off top spot in the Premier League for the first time. This potential shift even with Arteta managing a squad that has suffered more than a century of fitness issues over the course of last season.

Arteta is under a contract with 18 months remaining on the contract he inked in 2024, however, he knows that results must come promptly.

Survival in the Job

The manager expanded, highlighting the daily requirement to validate his position. “I think a manager must deserve the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you communicate, how you go into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He stated further, praising the unwavering support from the hierarchy, while singling out the players' commitment as paramount. “In the final analysis, the most important ones are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, desire to learn and give their all to the team.”

Injury Concerns

Arsenal heads into the weekend fixture managing a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a strain that is expected to see him miss action for several weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Even with the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta is confident the club's “focus and dialogue” are completely changed from when he began his reign.

The manager referenced the team's performances as proof they are close. “You look at the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

Arteta concluded, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has never experienced in the past. And we want to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the proper course to winning.”