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

Port Vale pulled off a significant upset in the previous round, as they beat Bristol City on Tuesday night. The League One side had to hold on at times, but they were able to keep their clean sheet intact for 120 minutes, and Ben Waine’s goal in extra time proved decisive. 

However, Sunderland will provide a much greater challenge for Port Vale here, and the Premier League side are likely to go with a strong eleven with an FA Cup quarter-final spot on the line. They beat Oxford United 1-0 in the previous round, and the Yellows were barely able to lay a glove on Sunderland.

Oxford managed just 0.54 xG in front of a home support, while Sunderland racked up 17 shots worth 1.93 xG. The 1-0 scoreline suggests a close game, but Matt Ingram racked up eight saves for the hosts.