Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill says Sebastian Larsson deserves his Euros chance with Sweden.

Larsson - Sunderland's joint leading scorer in 2011-12 - was able to join his countrymen after being given leave by O'Neill to have early surgery on a troubling hernia problem.

"I felt Seb deserved that chance," O'Neill told safc.com. "He was almost apologetically complaining about the injury and would always play on.

"I remember him playing against Manchester City on New Year's Day when he was in desperately poor condition, so much so that he was unable to play against Wigan two days later.

"But we needed him badly against City and I don't forget those things.

"He's done wonderfully well for us, so I wanted to give him the opportunity to do well in the competition for his country.

"I think he will do very well in the competition and Sweden always seem to be there. They always get the job done and mostly qualify for competitions."