Jose previews Southampton

Jose Mourinho isn’t underestimating the challenge ahead as we travel to Southampton in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday (3pm).

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s team have lost just one of their last eight in all competitions and that was against Wolves last weekend, when they let a 2-0 lead slip in the Premier League.

That run also includes a 1-0 win over us on New Year’s Day and Jose expects the same level of competition from the Saints again.

“We know how difficult it is,” he said. “We felt it a few weeks ago and of course we play to win, but a second match in our stadium isn’t a bad finish to the game on Saturday.

“At the moment, 32 teams (in the competition), let’s try to be in the last 16.

“Full respect to what Southampton are doing. They are good, really good. They are strong, they have found a pattern of play with two strikers, they are strong and apart from the game they lost against Wolves, they are win, win, win, win.

“We also have 24 hours less to rest than them, 24 hours that for us would be gold because you can see many of our players at their limits, they are playing every minute, every game. Then, of course, the cup is the cup and a defeat will mean we’re out, so it’s very important that we try to win. Let’s see.”