quote:

SATURDAY

Bristol Rovers v Southampton (1230 GMT)

Bristol Rovers have done very well in the competition and I do not think they will lose on Saturday.

With Lennie Lawrence and Paul Trollope in charge of the football side of the club, they are extremely well run and live within their means.

Southampton recently lost George Burley to Scotland and will have John Gorman in charge for the match.

Saints are still dogged by rumours of financial problems and all is far from well on the south coast.

However, with Rovers having already beaten Fulham in the competition the Pirates have lost any surprise factor and I don't expect Southampton to underestimate the task that faces them.

Verdict: 1-1

quote:

Bristol Rovers' on-loan midfielder Anthony Pulis is ineligible to play having already featured in the FA Cup for his parent club Stoke.

Centre-back Steve Elliott (knee) and full-back Ryan Green (Achilles) remain sidelined for the League One club.

Southampton defender Andrew Davies is unlikely to play after dislocating a jaw in the loss at Stoke on Tuesday.

Skipper Youssef Safri serves the second game of a four-match ban so Jhon Viafara should continue in midfield.


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Bristol Rovers director of football Lennie Lawrence:
"If we are not on it and spot-on all over the pitch then we will lose.
"Southampton need to be respected but not feared and we need to be confident but not arrogant.

"We have had some good results but this game coming up gives the club a big profile in the world of football."


Southampton joint manager Jason Dodd:
"Everyone knows why this game is being televised, the BBC think there is going to be an upset.
"The players know the cameras are there for that reason. The pitch is not the best and the crowd will be up for it.

"We have to make sure that we do not give the TV people what they want."


BIG-MATCH FACTS
Bristol Rovers are the second lowest ranked club still in the 127th FA Cup, and one of two League One representatives trying to make the quarter-finals, the other being Huddersfield.

Southampton avoided the banana skin of League Two Bury in the last round, but have been drawn away from home for the first time in this season's FA Cup competition.

This is the only League One against Championship tie in the last 16, and it kicks-off the weekend's action.

The League ladder

Southampton are 19 places higher than Bristol Rovers in the league standings.


FA CUP RECORDS AND BEST PERFORMANCES

BRISTOL ROVERS
Current form

Lost only one of their last 13 league and cup matches.

Not lost at home in any competition in 10 games since a 2-0 defeat by Bournemouth on 3 November.

Recent FA Cup performance

Making only their second appearance in the fifth round in 29 years, and first since 1999; on that occasion League One Barnsley blocked their pathway.

Midfielder Rickie Lambert has scored five goals in six FA Cup matches so far this season for Rovers.

FA Cup fact

Rovers are bidding for a club record equalling place in the quarter-finals. They last achieved it in 1958 when their progress was halted by Fulham, a club Paul Trollope's side have already ousted from this season's competition.


SOUTHAMPTON
Current form

Lost three and drawn one of their four games since their 2-0 win over Bury in the FA Cup fourth round.

Not won away from St Mary's in six matches since a 2-1 league victory at Leicester on 1 December.

Recent FA Cup performance

The 2003 losing finalists have their sights set on a place in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2005, when Manchester United ended their interest.

The Manager

This will be only the sixth match with caretaker managers John Gorman and Jason Dodd in charge.

FA Cup fact

Upset the odds by beating Manchester United 1-0 in the 1976 final. Bobby Stokes' angled shot defeated Alex Stepney and handed the likes of Mick Channon and Peter Osgood a winners' medal in Lawrie McMememy's most memorable achievement in management.


HEAD to HEAD
All competitions

Southampton have won five of the last eight league and cup meetings with Bristol Rovers, and on four of those occasions they have scored three goals.

FA Cup

This is the fourth time these clubs have been drawn against each other in the competition; Southampton lead 2-1. On each occurrence the tie has been resolved at the first time of asking by the club playing at home; Saints were the most recent victors, in the fourth round 27 years ago.