Birmingham winger Sebastian Larsson admits he owes a lot to Arsenal ahead of their Carling Cup final clash on Sunday.
Swede insists former club still means a great deal
Birmingham winger Sebastian Larsson admits he owes a lot to Arsenal ahead of their Carling Cup final clash on Sunday.
Larsson, a Gunners youth product, departed North London five years ago to join the Blues in pursuit of regular first-team football.
The Sweden international says he still holds his former club in high esteem, but insists it will have no bearing on his display at the weekend as Birmingham look to spring an upset at Wembley.
Education
"Arsenal is a club that means a lot to me, definitely. I had five great years there," said Larsson.
"It was the best football education I could have had so I will always be grateful for that.
"I always want Arsenal to win and do well - apart from when they play us, including Sunday, of course.
"I have played against them a few times now and it's not like I played 100 games for their first team.
"But, like I said, it is a club that means a lot of me."
Larsson, who is out of contract in the summer, would have missed out on the final had he agreed personal terms with Newcastle last month.
But the 25-year-old insists all his focus is on the decider, adding: "Listen, what happened in January happened. That's in the past.
"Ever since the transfer window shut, that was the end of it. It doesn't affect me at all.
"I am just focusing on football and enjoying my time at the club, as I've said I've always done, and I do as much as ever.
"I just want to go out there on Sunday and do the club proud. I have always maintained that I am happy here."
Pressure
The midfielder believes the heat will be on Arsenal to win on Sunday after going more than five years without a trophy.
He said: "It takes a bit of pressure off. There's more pressure on them to get the trophy than us.
"But once you have got to a game like this, a major cup final, there's only one thing you want to achieve - and that's to get the trophy.
"It will be a massive occasion. Playing in these type of games, you dream of as a kid.
"It's taken a while since I came to the club to get there, but we finally are and hopefully we can put on a decent display. We want to win."
