It took an 84th-minute goal from Harrison Reed to get Fulham over the line in the previous round, but the 2-1 scoreline flattered the hosts, and it was quite a one-sided affair.

Fulham racked up 17 shots with eight on target - Tommy Simkin made six saves for Stoke and was a standout performer. In return, the Potters managed just eight shots with 0.69 xG. They were mostly of a speculative nature, and six of those came from outside the box. 

Even though Marco Silva made plenty of changes to his usual starting eleven, his side were able to dominate proceedings, and they will hope for something similar here. The Cottagers also beat Middlesbrough, who are currently second in the Championship, 3-1 at Craven Cottage in the previous round.

Once again, they had 19 shots and nine shots on target in that game, and were able to freely carve out quality chances.

Southampton come into this clash in a rich vein of form, but they are 13 points and five league positions behind Middlesbrough, so this could be a tough fixture for them.

However, the Saints have every reason to be confident - they have scored in each of their last 11 consecutive matches across all competitions. They suffered a 4-0 defeat before that streak started, which came against none other than Middlesbrough. 

Meanwhile, Fulham are yet to keep a clean sheet in 2026 - they have conceded in all 12 matches across all competitions, including against Stoke and Middlesbrough. Even at Craven Cottage, Fulham have struggled to keep their opponents out, and BTTS has landed in each of their last six matches.

Marco Silva’s men tend to open up a bit when they play in West London, but that can sometimes leave gaps in transition - Southampton will hope to exploit that

Harrison Reed has had to settle for a role from the bench this season, but the 31-year-old has made a difference when called upon, and he scored the all-important goal against Stoke in the previous round.

Reed has started five matches across all competitions this season - three in the EFL Cup and two in the FA Cup. He has landed this selection in four of those games and is averaging 1.31 shots per 90. 

Despite his lack of game time, Reed has looked sharp when he has played, and he has a knack for popping up in promising positions.

He also isn’t shy to try his luck from distance - his goal against Stoke came from the edge of the box, while he also scored a worldie against Liverpool earlier in the season to earn his side a point.

If Marco Silva once again opts for rotation here, Jorge Cuenca looks set to partner Issa Diop at the back. Fulham were able to control possession in the previous round against Stoke, mostly due to those two - they were able to squeeze forward and prevent the Potters from getting out. Issa Diop did, however, pick up a yellow card, and Cuenca also committed a foul. 

The game against Middlesbrough was much more even in terms of possession, but again, the Fulham centre-back pairing were in amongst the fouls. This time, Cuenca was booked, while Diop had two infringements to his name. 

The Spanish international is averaging 0.82 fouls per 90 this season, and has landed this selection in each of his last seven successive starts across all competitions. He has also been booked in four of those matches. Cuenca likes to be aggressive in his duels, which bodes well for this selection

Southampton come into this game with real momentum having avoided defeat in each of their last nine matches across all competitions, winning seven of these games. They beat Leicester 2-1 in the last round of the cup to set up this tie, and should feel as though they can cause Fulham issues given their recent form and record on the road.

Southampton have netted 31 goals across their 18 away matches in the Championship this term (1.72 per game), so they clearly carry an attacking threat in the second division which should be enough to see them score in this cup tie. Fulham are far from solid at the back and have conceded 18 goals across their 15 matches at Craven Cottage this season.

Fulham struggle when it comes to keeping clean sheets as well, they’ve only kept five all season in the Premier League with only Leeds and the three sides in the relegation zone keeping fewer shutouts than Marco Silva’s side.

I think Southampton can carry their strong form into this game against Premier League opposition, and strike at least once with the Saints’ goalscoring record on the road in the Championship lining up well with Fulham’s inability to keep a clean shee