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On the eve of his six-year milestone at the helm, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his future at Arsenal is directly connected to achieving success.

A Look Back: The Arteta Era

The former Arsenal captain was appointed on December 20th, 2019 and soon guided the team to an FA Cup victory within months. But, that initial silverware is still his sole significant piece of silverware following the departure of Unai Emery.

“I can,” the manager said in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “But it’s about today. And numerous factors need to fall into place in the next few months as well to earn the right.”

This weekend sees the landmark with a match versus Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal faced the day after his appointment was announced.

The Current Landscape

Given that trailing Manchester City taking on West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal risk losing top spot in the Premier League before their own match begins. This situation arises even with Arteta managing a squad that has been plagued by more than a century of fitness issues over the course of last season.

Arteta is under a contract with 18 months remaining on the extension he agreed to in 2024, yet understands fully that results must come sooner rather than later.

Survival in the Job

The manager expanded, highlighting the daily requirement to justify his role. “I think a manager needs to warrant the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how how you react, how you address the media, how you enter the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

Arteta continued, commending the strong backing from the club's ownership, yet identifying the squad's dedication as most crucial. “Ultimately, the critical component are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, desire to learn and give the maximum to the team.”

Latest Fitness Blow

The team heads into the Everton match coping with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a muscle problem that is anticipated to keep him out for several weeks.

A Different Club

Despite the injury crisis and the immense scrutiny, Arteta is confident the club's “priorities and messaging” are completely changed from when he began his reign.

He pointed to the record-breaking achievements as evidence of progress. “Examine the performances, all the club records that were shattered... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

He finished by saying, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not seen before in the past. And our ambition is to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the proper course to winning.”