Arsenal's Swedish midfielder is as much of a permanent fixture in his national team as Beckham is for England and he sympathised with his plight.

'Of course I feel for him, ' said 24-year-old Ljungberg. 'I think every player in the country feels for him.'

Every player fears missing the big games through injury - and Ljungberg is no exception.

'The games are so important now for us and my way of playing is to give my all. I will continue to do that,' said Ljungberg.

'If I get injured, I get injured. But in my experience if you are worried about injury when you play, that is when you get hurt.'

Ljungberg's form has been a revelation this season. He wears his hair with a crimson streak through the middle but he has needed nothing so garish to attract attention as Arsenal have closed in on the Premiership and FA Cup Double.

Ljungberg's part has not been underestimated by the opposition, and he was singled out for praise by Charlton manager Alan Curbishley after Arsenal's 3-0 win at The Valley on Easter Monday.

'You know, I love this part of the season,' said Ljungberg. 'I like pressure and there is pressure on the games now. Back in November and December, you play so many games and you know there is still a long way to go. Now you can see what it is possible to win and this is the real enjoyment of football.'

Not that Ljungberg is the easy-going type of person that his image suggests. There is, for instance, a dressing room door at Tottenham that needed repair two years ago after Ljungberg vented his frustration at being sent off.

Manager Arsene Wenger has also found Ljungberg to be an ambitious individual when it came to discussing a new contract at Arsenal in the summer. Ljungberg likes success. He wants Champions League football on a regular basis. He wants to be in continual pursuit of league titles and cups.

'We had discussions in the summer and I wanted to know what the club wanted,' said Ljungberg. 'I was happy with what I heard. New players were brought in and players who it was thought might be leaving, stayed. I had no hesitation in signing for four more years. I love the club and I love the fans.

'When I moved here from Halmstadt four years ago, people from home said I wouldn't fit into the English system, that I should have gone to Spain or Italy.

'Maybe I have now showed them I can play in England. I could have gone to Spain, to a club which is the equivalent of Arsenal. I don't want to say which club but it is as big as this one.

'But after I met the boss, I thought he was a good person and I had good vibes about coming to Arsenal and I am glad that I did.'

Ljungberg admits to feeling overwhelmed initially by the number of games in an English season and by the physical demands.

'When I first came, it was a shock to me,' explained Ljungberg. 'It was much tougher than at home. But now I have got used to it and I feel it has made me a stronger and better player.

'Also, I am more settled in London. In my first year I had no friends. I like to socialise and that was hard to get used to. But now I have my social life and I am enjoying my football.

'London is a good place to live. You have privacy. People show you respect. They may even be a little drunk when they come up to you but all they want to do is shake your hand. Then they leave you alone.'

There will be a good few who want to shake hands on Sunday evening should Ljungberg and Arsenal book a return journey to Cardiff next month.

Last year's FA Cup Final was a bitter-sweet game for Ljungberg.

'The day was brilliant,' he said. It looked to be getting even better when he scored to put Arsenal ahead against Liverpool. But two Michael Owen strikes condemned Arsenal to defeat.

'That was a terrible feeling, especially as we had played so well. I would love to go back.'

Middlesbrough, however depleted they might be through suspensions and injuries, stand in Arsenal's way.

'If there is one thing I have learned about the FA Cup, it is that any result is possible,' said Ljungberg. 'Middlesbrough are a big hurdle to us and we have to concentrate on getting over that obstacle before we can think about the Final.'

Patrick Vieira missed training on Thursday because of a stomach upset but is expected to be fit and Wenger looks set to keep faith with Richard Wright in goal as he sticks to the policy of playing his £6 million recruit in FA Cup matches.

Arsenal are favourites and Wenger said: 'We are good enough to know that being favourites means the situation can be difficult. I think we can handle that.'