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On the eve of his six-year milestone as manager, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his future at Arsenal is directly connected to delivering trophies.

The Journey So Far: The Arteta Era

Arteta took over on December 20th, 2019 and managed to steer the team to an cup win not long after. Yet, that early success stands as his only top-tier trophy since succeeding Unai Emery.

“I can,” Arteta responded upon being asked about his future past 2027. “But it’s about today. And many things need to fall into place in the coming months as well to earn the right.”

Saturday night brings the anniversary with a game facing Everton, the identical team Arsenal faced immediately following his hiring was confirmed.

League Position and Pressure

With trailing Manchester City playing against West Ham earlier in the day, Arsenal risk losing top spot in the Premier League prior to their fixture. This situation arises despite Arteta managing a squad that has endured in excess of one hundred injury setbacks from the beginning of last season.

Arteta currently has a year and a half left on the extension he agreed to in 2024, yet understands fully that success is required sooner rather than later.

Earning the Right

Arteta elaborated, emphasizing the constant necessity to prove his worth. “I think a manager needs to warrant the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you talk here, how you enter the dressing room, the instructions you give.”

He added, expressing gratitude for the unwavering support from the board and owners, yet identifying the team's buy-in as most crucial. “Ultimately, the most important ones are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a level of attention, hunger for knowledge and give the maximum to the team.”

Latest Fitness Blow

The squad faces the upcoming game dealing with yet another injury. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a strain that is likely to sideline him for the coming weeks.

A Different Club

Regardless of the injury crisis and the immense scrutiny, Arteta believes the club's “objectives and communication” are vastly different from when he began his reign.

The manager referenced the team's performances as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Examine the performances, all the records that we... were breaking... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that indicates the caliber we've reached.”

In closing, the manager stated, “This is a standard 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.”