Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is currently enduring a rough time as Arsenal manager, and this weekend he will face a former ally aiming to deepen his crisis.
Young attacking midfielder Seb Larsson is enjoying a positive start to the season with Sunderland, and will be looking to continue that against the man who brought him to England.
The Swedish starlet opened his account this season with a spectacular strike to earn Sunderland a 1-1 draw at Liverpool, he has went on to register a total of two goals and one assist in his first seven games.
Larsson also had good news on the international scene in midweek when he scored for Sweden in a 3-2 EURO 2012 qualifying win over the Netherlands.
The win ended the 100% winning record of the Group E leading Netherlands, and sealed automatic qualification for Sweden as the best runners up.
Sunderland teammate Nicklas Bendtner also qualified for EURO 2012 playing for Denmark, but the striker is on loan from Arsenal and cannot play this weekend against his parent club.
Larsson was an Arsenal fan as a boy and was signed by Arsene Wenger as a 16 year old in 2001. The young talent spent three happy years in North London before leaving to join Birmingham City.
Now one of Sunderland’s most prominent attacking players, Larsson is aiming to drop the Gunners down to the edge of the relegation zone.
“For this one game only, I will be more than happy to make that happen,” Larsson told the Sunderland Echo. “They have made a disappointing start, like we have and the days when you talked about the ‘Big Four’ are over.”
Arsenal are currently enduring a six year trophy drought, and Larsson himself played a significant role in that. The young Swede played the entire game and helped create the opening goal last season when Birmingham City beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Carling Cup Final.
Now as a member of Sunderland, Larsson will be looking to hand Arsenal another defeat, and leave the club he once supported in deep trouble.
The Swedish starlet opened his account this season with a spectacular strike to earn Sunderland a 1-1 draw at Liverpool, he has went on to register a total of two goals and one assist in his first seven games.
Larsson also had good news on the international scene in midweek when he scored for Sweden in a 3-2 EURO 2012 qualifying win over the Netherlands.
The win ended the 100% winning record of the Group E leading Netherlands, and sealed automatic qualification for Sweden as the best runners up.
Sunderland teammate Nicklas Bendtner also qualified for EURO 2012 playing for Denmark, but the striker is on loan from Arsenal and cannot play this weekend against his parent club.
Larsson was an Arsenal fan as a boy and was signed by Arsene Wenger as a 16 year old in 2001. The young talent spent three happy years in North London before leaving to join Birmingham City.
Now one of Sunderland’s most prominent attacking players, Larsson is aiming to drop the Gunners down to the edge of the relegation zone.
“For this one game only, I will be more than happy to make that happen,” Larsson told the Sunderland Echo. “They have made a disappointing start, like we have and the days when you talked about the ‘Big Four’ are over.”
Arsenal are currently enduring a six year trophy drought, and Larsson himself played a significant role in that. The young Swede played the entire game and helped create the opening goal last season when Birmingham City beat Arsenal 2-1 in the Carling Cup Final.
Now as a member of Sunderland, Larsson will be looking to hand Arsenal another defeat, and leave the club he once supported in deep trouble.
