Two Premier League sides who will be looking to go under the FA Cup radar meet in the fifth round on Saturday as Sunderland entertain Southampton.
With two of the top four certain to be knocked out at this stage, a kind draw may present one of these clubs with a very accessible path to Wembley.
Sunderland have form in domestic cup competition this season, having already reached the final of the Capital One Cup, and they will be confident considering that they have only lost one home match in six.
They came from behind at the Stadium of Light last month to draw 2-2 with the Saints, who will also fancy their chances of winning an open encounter and extending their unbeaten run to nine games.
Mauricio Pochettino remains without key defender Dejan Loren as well as Gaston Ramirez, both of whom are sidelined with ankle ligament damage, while Jose Fonte is a new injury concern with a calf problem.
Victor Wanyama may be given minutes in the centre of the park to help him continue his recovery from a hairline leg fracture which kept him out for two months, and young striker Sam Gallagher could be back in contention after missing two matches due to a family bereavement.
Kelvin Davis took the gloves for the victories over Burnley and Yeovil Town in the previous rounds, but number-one stopper Artur Boruc is fit again now and will probably be retained in goal. James Ward-Prowse and Nathaniel Clyne are both pushing for recalls to the starting XI.
Sunderland may be the fresher of the two sides having seen their midweek fixture with Manchester City postponed due to severe wind. Gus Poyet, though, will not be able to call upon suspended centre-back Wes Brown, who is banned after picking up his third red card of the season against Hull City.
A possible deputy, Carlos Cuellar, is also unavailable as he nurses a long-term hip injury and so Santiago Vergini, a January signing from Argentina, could make his second start for the Black Cats in defence.
Scotland international striker Steven Fletcher is another key Sunderland player on the treatment table and with his replacement Jozy Altidore on a 16-game goal drought, the scoring onus will fall upon on-fire winger Adam Johnson, who has found the net seven times in his previous eight outings.
Recent form
Sunderland: LWWWLD
Southampton: WDWDWD
Possible starting lineups
Sunderland: Mannone; Bardsley, O'Shea, Vergini, Alonso; Johnson, Ki, Bridcutt, Colback; Borini, Altidore
Southampton: Boruc; Clyne, Hooiveld, Yoshida, Shaw; Wanyama, Cork, Davis; Ward-Prowse Lallana, Rodriguez
Sports Mole says: 2-1
Joe Fish
