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On the eve of his half-decade plus one year as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is inextricably linked to delivering trophies.

A Look Back: From Appointment to Present

Arteta assumed control on 20 December 2019 and managed to steer the team to an cup win not long after. Yet, that initial silverware remains his lone significant piece of silverware after taking over from Unai Emery.

“Absolutely,” he stated upon being asked about remaining in charge after his current deal. “Yet it's about today. And many things have to happen in the coming months as well to warrant that continuation.”

This weekend sees the six-year milestone with a game facing Everton, the identical team Arsenal met the day after his appointment was announced.

Present Challenges

With chasing Manchester City playing against West Ham in an earlier kick-off, Arsenal face being knocked off first place in the Premier League before their own match begins. This comes even with Arteta managing a squad that has endured more than a century of fitness issues over the course of last season.

Arteta is under a contract with 18 months to run on the extension he agreed to in 2024, but is acutely aware that he must deliver sooner rather than later.

Survival in the Job

The manager expanded, emphasizing the ongoing need to prove his worth. “I think a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you talk here, how you enter the dressing room, the signal you send.”

He stated further, praising the strong backing from the board and owners, while singling out the squad's dedication as paramount. “At the end, the most important ones are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a degree of commitment, hunger for knowledge and give the maximum to the team.”

Squad Setbacks

Arsenal approaches the Everton match coping with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a muscle problem that is likely to see him miss action for a few weeks.

Evolved Priorities

Regardless of the injury crisis and the immense scrutiny, Arteta feels the club's “priorities and messaging” are vastly different from when he initially took over.

He pointed to the team's performances as a sign they are nearing their goal. “You look at the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still haven’t managed to do that [win trophies]. But that tells you 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 proper course to winning.”