🔗 Share this article The Gunners' Boss Acknowledges Future Stay Depends on Securing Trophies. Ahead of marking his sixth anniversary in charge, Mikel Arteta has admitted that his longevity in North London is directly connected to delivering trophies. 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 not long after. But, that first major trophy remains his only significant piece of silverware since succeeding Unai Emery. “Yes,” the manager said in response to a query about his future past 2027. “Yet it's about today. And numerous factors must occur in the near future as well to deserve that opportunity.” He will mark the anniversary with a game facing Everton, the exact opponent Arsenal met just after his role was made public. League Position and Pressure Given that second-placed 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 situation arises even with Arteta presiding over a squad that has endured more than a century of fitness issues from the beginning of last season. He is under a contract with 18 months to run on the deal he signed in 2024, yet understands fully that he must deliver in the immediate future. The Manager's Mandate Arteta elaborated, emphasizing the constant necessity to justify his role. “My belief is that a manager has to earn the right to be here tomorrow. And that depends on how you react, how you talk here, how you step into the dressing room, the instructions you give.” He stated further, commending the unwavering support from the board and owners, while singling out the players' commitment as paramount. “In the final analysis, the critical component 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.” Latest Fitness Blow Arsenal approaches the upcoming game coping with a fresh setback. Defender Ben White has been sidelined with a hamstring injury that is likely to keep him out for a few weeks. Confidence in the Path Regardless of the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta is confident the club's “priorities and messaging” are vastly different from when he began his reign. The manager referenced the squad's displays as proof they are close. “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.” Arteta concluded, “It represents a quality that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And our ambition is to achieve even higher goals. And if we do that, I think we are on the correct trajectory to winning.”