Sweden's Svensson believes 'English arrogance' may cost England heavy in Friday's Euro clash

Krakow, June 14 (ANI): Swedish international footballer Anders Svensson has suggested that English arrogance among England players could make them pay in the Friday's Euro clash.

Svensson believes their arrogance is the explanation for their poor record against Sweden and insisted that the two countries will go into Friday's crunch match as footballing equals.

The Swedish vice-captain described the encounter as "win or die" for his team as a 2-1 defeat against Ukraine on Monday meant that now Sweden must beat England to have a realistic chance of progressing to the Euro 2012 quarter-finals.

Svensson, who spent four years in the Premier League with Southampton from 2001 until 2005, has a theory for why England failed to beat Sweden in 12 matches, spanning 43 years from 1968 until 2011.

"I just think maybe you think you are a little bit better than you are and we are a little bit better than you think we are. Obviously you have got big, big names, big, big players. I think you have a great team but I think you don't think that much about the Swedish team, never have," The Telegraph quoted Svensson, as saying.

"I think we are a good team and are on the same level as England and have been for a long time. I don't think maybe England have the same respect for us as they do for France, Brazil," he added. (ANI)