Arsenal are currently fighting for both Premier League and Champions League glory, as question marks surround Mikel Arteta's long-term future with the club
Mikel Arteta's long-term future at Arsenal could hinge on delivering some form of silverware this season. The Spaniard has been largely impressive in north London over the past seven years, transforming the club and steering them to an FA Cup and two Community Shields.
Yet when it comes to Premier League glory, it has persistently been a case of so near yet so far for the Gunners boss. Arsenal have come heartbreakingly close to claiming the coveted league title over the last three campaigns, but have repeatedly fallen short when it matters most.
Arteta's men finished just five points behind Manchester City in 2022/23, missed out to the same opponents by a mere two points the following season, and were edged out by Liverpool by 10 points last time around. With the team sitting only three points ahead of Pep Guardiola's charges at the top of the table right now, there are genuine concerns that 2025/26 may not be their year either.
This is particularly worrying given Arsenal boasted a seven-point cushion over their title rivals just last month, before defeats to Bournemouth and City allowed them to close the gap considerably. City also have a game in hand over Arsenal, with five matches remaining in the top flight compared to the Gunners' four.
Should both sides win every remaining fixture, it could ultimately come down to goal difference to separate the two clubs come the end of the season. With Arsenal leading City by just a single goal, it promises to be a nail-biting run-in to the crucial finale on May 24 - where the Gunners face Crystal Palace while City take on Aston Villa.
Although it may seem far-fetched to suggest Arsenal might consider showing Arteta the door given the remarkable transformation he has overseen, Matthew Upson has explained that winning trophies with the club could ultimately define his future there. Speaking exclusively to our sister title football.london via SeatPick - a leading aggregator for reliable sports & music tickets online - he said: "How you can be as successful as what he has been - because let's face it, he has brought success back to the football club from where they were when he took over.
"They're now a very serious contender across Europe and the Premier League. He's built that over time, which I like. I think he's got a really solid foundation. But he hasn't won enough. And as we know, this is the game.
"And you're at a club like Arsenal, you've got to win something. So, you know, if they were to come away empty-handed this season, after being across all four competitions in January and looking strong in certainly the Premier League.
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"It'll also be whether or not he feels that way as well, I suppose. You know, where his thoughts are at, because he's put his heart and soul into the job. And he won't have got the desired outcome that he wanted. So, I think it's an interesting thought. The club will have to review what their kind of ideas are and where they want to go.
"But there's no doubt for me that he's brought a brilliant foundation and he's taken Arsenal to the brink, hasn't he? And, you know, in my mind with what he's put in, he deserves some success at the end of it. But we'll have to wait and see."
It follows Arsenal being held to a 1-1 draw by Atletico Madrid at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano on Wednesday evening, with penalties from Viktor Gyokeres and Julian Alvarez setting the scoreline. The Gunners now welcome the La Liga challengers to the Emirates Stadium for the return leg on Tuesday, 5th May.
Victory on home soil would book their place in May's showpiece final against either Paris Saint-Germain or Bayern Munich, who face off in their own semi-final second leg at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday, 6th May. Luis Enrique's outfit hold a narrow advantage from the first encounter, which they edged 5-4 earlier this week.
Should Arsenal reach next month's final, it would hand Arteta yet another opportunity to land silverware this season - and crucially, another chance to potentially cement his future at the club.