🔗 Share this article The Gunners' Boss Concedes Long-Term Tenure Is Tied to Winning Major Honors. As he approaches his six-year milestone as manager, Mikel Arteta has made it clear that his continued role with the club is fundamentally dependent to achieving success. Reflecting on: Six Years in Charge Arteta took over on December 20th, 2019 and promptly led the team to an FA Cup triumph not long after. But, that first major trophy remains his lone significant piece of silverware following the departure of Unai Emery. “Yes,” he stated in response to a query about remaining in charge after his current deal. “Yet it's about today. And numerous factors must occur in the near future as well to deserve that opportunity.” This weekend sees the six-year milestone with a game facing Everton, the identical team Arsenal met the day after his role was made public. Present Challenges With chasing Manchester City set to face West Ham on Saturday afternoon, Arsenal risk losing top spot in the Premier League before their own match begins. This situation arises despite Arteta overseeing a squad that has suffered in excess of one hundred injury setbacks since the start of last season. The manager is under a contract with a year and a half left on the extension he agreed to in 2024, however, he knows that results must come sooner rather than later. The Manager's Mandate The manager expanded, stressing the daily requirement to justify his role. “In my view a manager needs to warrant the right to be here tomorrow. And that’s how 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 most crucial. “At the end, the key individuals are those players... Over this half-decade, I’ve seen just players with a standard of focus, desire to learn and give the maximum to the team.” Latest Fitness Blow Arsenal heads into the Everton match dealing with an additional absence. Defender Ben White has been declared unavailable with a muscle problem that is expected to keep him out for several weeks. A Different Club Regardless of the fitness woes and the intense pressure, Arteta feels the club's “priorities and messaging” are vastly different from when he initially took over. He pointed to the squad's displays as a sign they are nearing their goal. “Consider the performances, all the club records that were shattered... We still have yet to do that [win trophies]. But that shows the standard we operate at.” Arteta concluded, “This is a standard that the Premier League has not witnessed in the past. And our aim is to achieve greater objectives. And if we do that, I think we are on the right path to winning.”