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On the eve of his half-decade plus one year at the helm, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to delivering trophies.

Reflecting on: The Arteta Era

Arteta took over on 20 December 2019 and managed to steer the team to an FA Cup victory a short time later. But, that first major trophy stands as his sole significant piece of silverware after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Yes,” Arteta responded when questioned about staying beyond 2027. “However, it is about today. And a lot of things need to fall into place in the near future as well to deserve that opportunity.”

This weekend sees the anniversary with a fixture against Everton, the very same club Arsenal faced the day after his hiring was confirmed.

League Position and Pressure

Given that trailing Manchester City playing against West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal could be displaced the summit in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This comes notwithstanding Arteta overseeing a squad that has endured over 100 injuries over the course of last season.

Arteta is tied down by 18 months remaining on the contract he inked in 2024, however, he knows that results must come sooner rather than later.

Earning the Right

He went on to explain, stressing the daily requirement to justify his role. “In my view a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that is determined by how you react, how you address the media, how you go into the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He added, praising the strong backing from the board and owners, yet identifying the squad's dedication as most crucial. “In the final analysis, the most important ones are those players... For six years, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, willingness to improve and give the maximum to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

The team faces the weekend fixture dealing with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a muscle problem that is expected to see him miss action for several weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Despite the availability issues and the intense pressure, Arteta feels the club's “focus and dialogue” are profoundly distinct from when he initially took over.

Arteta highlighted the squad's displays as evidence of progress. “Consider the performances, all the historical marks we surpassed... We still haven't been able to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you the standard we operate at.”

In closing, the manager stated, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And our aim is to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”