Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal visits Everton on the sixth anniversary of his appointment, aiming to protect their two-point lead in the Premier League title race.

Mikel Arteta is marking six years as Arsenal manager with a crucial Premier League clash against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Gunners are looking to maintain their two-point lead at the top of the table as they chase their first top-flight title since 2004.

Arteta has led Arsenal to an FA Cup and two Community Shields, but league success has eluded them, with the team finishing second in the last three seasons. He emphasized the importance of teamwork, saying, “One man cannot really change anything… You need a lot of good people, very committed people around you with the same vision.”

Arsenal’s recent away form has been shaky, with no wins in their last three league games on the road. They’ll be looking to bounce back against Everton, who are without several key players, including Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye, who are at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Arteta has fond memories of his time at Everton, where he played under David Moyes, now the Toffees’ manager. He praised Moyes, saying, “I think he taught me the love that he’s got for the game and then the integrity that the game requires at any cost”

Arsenal will be without Ben White, who is out for the next few games with a hamstring injury, but Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magalhaes are close to returning. Arteta is excited about playing at Everton’s new stadium, saying it’s “strange but very exciting.”

Arteta’s side will need to be at their best to overcome a stubborn Everton team, but the Spaniard is confident in his players and staff. “The players have to buy into what you say and what you do… I feel very lucky because those players give you 100% in the direction that you want every single day,” he said.