THERE are problems and there are problems. Sunderland’s are a lot different to those encountered by Arsenal, but it is all relative and Seb Larsson has experienced the pressures at both ends of the table.

Larsson spent years developing his talent with the Gunners after moving there aged just 16 from his hometown club in Eskilstuna, Sweden. His first appearances may have been restricted to the occasional League Cup match or a few at Premier League level, but he still witnessed at close hand how high the demands of success are on players at the Emirates.

Since leaving Arsenal in 2007, Larsson has been at the other end of the scale with Birmingham City and now Sunderland. He had never, though, been on the end of an 8-0 drubbing like he was at Southampton last Saturday.

Sunderland need to restore some pride against Arsenal today; a challenge in itself given the London club’s aspirations to challenge for the Premier League title again – and at least claim a Champions League spot once more.

And yet, after three league matches without a win ahead of the trip to the Stadium of Light, Arsene Wenger has his own concerns. The pressure, again, is building on the longest serving manager in the top-flight and he knows a defeat on Wearside could see them slide even further down from the unwanted seventh position they occupy.

Former Gunner Lasson wants Wenger to turn things around. He said: “Arsene Wenger is under a bit of pressure, but that’s the nature of the game isn’t it?

“They are a big club with their own ambitions and their own targets. If you are not living up to those standards, at any specific moment, the pressure will build like it did for us last week.

“I’m sure it will be two teams desperate to put on a good performance and claim the points. I don’t think you will find a more desperate team to do that than us this week.

“You can look at facing Arsenal in many different ways. Is it a good game for us to have? Or a bad one? It doesn’t matter, that’s the game we have got. We have got to show a proper reaction to the defeat at the weekend, most of all like any game we want to go out and get the points at home. We have to get back to where we left off. Hopefully pick up the three points.”

While Arsenal, who are already 11 points shy of leaders Chelsea, are desperate to win to climb back in to the top four, Sunderland’s concerns have increased since losing heavily at St Mary’s.

As well as dealing with the fall-out, coming up with the idea of giving fans the options to have their ticket prices refunded, the league table also suggests that Gus Poyet’s problems are growing.

Poyet has hinted he will make changes today, but he also suggested earlier in the week that his squad is still not as strong as he would like after seeing his team win just one of their opening eight league games this season.

Larsson thinks Arsenal could actually provide Sunderland with the perfect occasion to kickstart their struggling campaign.

The Swedish international said: “You look at the Arsenal squad and obviously you have got to say that they have a bit more quality than most teams. It is one of those games against the top teams which you always look forward to.

“We are going in off a terrible defeat but you never know whether it is a good game or a bad one. It’s the game we have and the one where we have to put things right. We have to put in a good performance and hopefully that will lead to putting some points on the board.

“We have a decent record; had some decent results at home to Arsenal. You always have certain teams that you do OK against and then there are others who you might struggle against. You try to carry all the positives with you from previous games and that’s what we will try to do.”