Mikel Arteta believes his work in transforming Arsenal has positioned the Gunners to compete for major trophies as he marks six years in charge.
A win at Arteta’s former club Everton on Saturday would see Arsenal finish top of the Premier League at Christmas, with the team aiming to capture the title for the first time since 2003/04.
Although an FA Cup victory early in his tenure remains the only major trophy Arteta has secured, he has restored Arsenal as Premier League title contenders and regulars in the Champions League.
Between 2017 and 2022, Arsenal failed to finish in the Premier League’s top four for six consecutive seasons, but they have come second in each of the last three campaigns.
“The transformation has been around the club in terms of the size, in terms of revenues, in terms of the squad that we built, the value of it, the sporting success that we had, even though we haven’t won any major trophies yet,” Arteta said on Friday.
“I think it’s very, very consistent, so we’re in the right place.”
Arsenal currently lead Manchester City by two points at the top, though the margin has tightened recently following draws at Sunderland and Chelsea and a second defeat of the season at Aston Villa.
Arteta’s squad faces a challenging festive schedule, with six matches between December 20 and January 8.
The 43-year-old is clear about his goal for Christmas.
“Win, win, win, win, win all the games,” he said.
“I’ll say the rest will come naturally, but my mood, my energy is going to be much better (if we win), so that’s what I want.”
