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Ahead of marking his six-year milestone in charge, Mikel Arteta has stated plainly that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to achieving success.

Reflecting on: Six Years in Charge

Arteta took over on December 20th, 2019 and promptly led the team to an cup win a short time later. But, that early success remains his sole top-tier trophy since succeeding Unai Emery.

“Yes,” the manager said when questioned about remaining in charge after his current deal. “But it’s about today. And numerous factors must occur in the next few months as well to deserve that opportunity.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a match versus Everton, the very same club Arsenal played immediately following his hiring was confirmed.

League Position and Pressure

As second-placed Manchester City playing against West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal risk losing the summit in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This situation arises notwithstanding Arteta managing a squad that has been plagued by in excess of one hundred injury setbacks since the start of last season.

The manager is under a contract with 18 months to run on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that success is required in the immediate future.

The Manager's Mandate

He went on to explain, stressing the constant necessity to validate his position. “In my view a manager must deserve the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you communicate, how you step into the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, commending the unwavering support from the board and owners, but pinpointing the players' commitment as paramount. “At the end, the key individuals are those players... During my tenure, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, desire to learn and give their all to the team.”

Injury Concerns

Arsenal faces the weekend fixture managing yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a strain that is likely to sideline him for several weeks.

Confidence in the Path

Regardless of the availability issues and the intense pressure, Arteta feels the club's “focus and dialogue” are completely changed from when he first arrived.

Arteta highlighted the record-breaking achievements as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Examine the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that shows the standard we operate at.”

He finished by saying, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And we want to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”