IT has already been quite a week for Seb Larsson and he hopes it will continue this weekend when the Sunderland winger returns to the club he still supports, Arsenal.

At club level Larsson has had to deal with inconsistency from both of his Premier League teams this season. His first employers, the Gunners, are languishing at the wrong end of the division, while the team he joined in June sits a place below.

But ahead of Sunday's meeting, the Swedish international is in a confident frame of mind after helping his country seal a place in next summer's European Championships.

Despite trailing 2-1 to Holland on Tuesday night, Larsson's penalty levelled things up before Ola Toivonen's winner ensured Sweden claimed the best runner-up in the qualifying groups.

Such was his composure, he is now hoping to beat Stephane Sessegnon to the ball if Sunderland win a penalty at the Emirates Stadium - and grab a goal that would see the Black Cats leapfrog his beloved Arsenal.

"We were up against it against Holland and when we got the penalty I was thinking this is probably not a good time to miss one, I didn't want the rest of the country hating me," said Larsson.

"It was brilliant afterwards and we had qualified. After the final whistle we all went mad and it was a very special moment because it was also the last game at the Rasunda (Stadium in Stockholm). It was the biggest night of my career.

"I will be more than happy to take the penalties here, I wouldn't know who is down to take them at the moment because we haven't had one."

Sweden's qualification led to a hastily arranged friendly fixture with England on November 15 at Wembley, which had been earmarked for a date with Portugal before they had to settle for a Euro 2012 qualifier play-off place.

Before that trip to north London, Larsson heads there on Sunday to take on Arsenal to face the Gunners for the first time since helping Birmingham City to Carling Cup glory at Wembley in February.

"That was an unbelievable moment for me, it's the only title I have won but it wasn't made more special that it came against Arsenal," he said. "I am still an Arsenal fan, I like to see them do well except when I am up against them."

Victory for Sunderland at the Emirates could put Arsenal into the relegation zone after eight matches. Larsson would have no qualms about inflicting that on his old club.

He said: "For this one game I will be more than happy to make that happen. I am just worried about what we are doing though, we need to start picking up more points than we have so far. We are not satisfied but hopeful of what lies ahead.

"There is a lot within the squad and the team. I see it every day. We have just been too inconsistent. For some reason we have dipped too much."

Sunderland are in need of avoiding a defeat or the pressure will have returned once again ahead of the trip to Bolton the following weekend after winning just one of their opening eight games this season.

But Larsson feels Arsenal should never be under-estimated at a time when they have picked up just one more win than struggling Sunderland.

"I don't think any team is unbeatable. Even though they have not had a good start to the season it is still a tough place to go," he said. "I am sure the fear factor has gone out of them a little but if they do put in a good performance then you will be in for a hell of a tough day.

"Of course they have had a disappointing start, they can't get away from that, but a club like Arsenal will always be wanting to be at the top and I hope they can turn it around - after they play us."

Larsson spoke extensively about knowing his time ‘was up' at Arsenal when he decided to leave for Birmingham in January 2007 and that contributed to his decision to ignore tentative advances that could have led to a return in the summer.

But he will never forget his time there, having arrived as a 16-year-old during the days at Highbury when Arsenal were a real force under Wenger in the Premier League.

"All the biggest names were around then," said Larsson. "Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Freddie Ljungberg, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Tony Adams, Martin Keown, Ray Parlour…

"I remember my first training session at Arsenal. My coach then was the reserve team coach now, Neil Banfield. I had him all the way through. That first day, though, I was a quiet Swedish lad.

"After half an hour he took me to one side and he told me to open my mouth or I would have a tough time. I don't think I said a word for the rest of that training session!

"I went home and learned a few more words in the English dictionary. Whatever I did, it worked and I'm still here now."