First Saturday of the year and that means the cup

Barnsley it was last year. We had Brian Stock sent off after collecting two bookings, one of which should have been for Michael Duff, and then fell to a 1-0 defeat after a farcical 85th minute goal courtesy of former goalkeeper Brian Jensen who made his last ever start for the Clarets that day.

A year earlier we travelled to Norwich and found ourselves two goals behind with only 12 minutes gone. Jay Rodriguez quickly pulled one back but we ended the game on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline.

Rodriguez was also our goalscorer as we went out 5-1 in 2011 at West Ham, but this time it was in the fifth round after home wins against Port Vale and Burton, so that means our last two away goals in this competition have been scored by Jay Rod who tomorrow will be lining up against his home town club for the first time.

Michael Duff thinks we will do alright

He could well come up against Michael Duff, if the long serving Burnley defender is passed fit, tomorrow and Duff said of his former team mate: "It will be good to see Jay and I am sure he will be up for the game and want to play.

"He has done fantastically well since going there and it was a good deal for him and the club when he left. He has gone on and kicked on and the England cap just tops off what he has achieved so far, but I think he can go on again and, with all due respect to Southampton, I don't think he has finished at that level.

"I think he can go higher and if his progression curve keeps going the way it is he had every chance, including making the World Cup squad."

Duff added: "The biggest compliment I can pay Jay is that his strongest asset is his head, with regards to what's inside. His mentality is brilliant and hasn't changed. The fact he keeps making these steps in his career and taking them in his stride is fantastic."

Looking forward to the game, he said: "Saturday is a free hit for us. We get a ten day break from the league and this is an opportunity to go and test ourselves against a Premier League team who are doing very well.

"People keep telling us we have a small squad, but we are doing alright so far. You can make too much of having big squads because sometimes there's the problem of having too many.

"The players know what it is, it's another game of football and we will go there looking to win the game. We know that won't be easy against some very good players and in front of a big crowd, but I think we will do alright."

Duff is one of the players that manager Sean Dyche has hinted might not feature. He's made it clear that players who are fit will not be left out but did single out Duff, alongside Ben Mee and Dean Marney as those who might not make it.

Luke O'Neill returned from York and has made the trip and I expect he'll be on the bench. I suspect that Kevin Long will come in if needed for Duff, Danny Lafferty I feel is almost certain to play at left back while Brian Stock, or possibly David Edgar, could come in for Marney.

Our team could be: Tom Heaton, Kieran Trippier, Kevin Long, Jason Shackell, Danny Lafferty, Keith Treacy, Brian Stock, David Jones, Scott Arfield, Danny Ings, Sam Vokes. Subs from: Alex Cisak, Luke O'Neill, David Edgar, Steven Hewitt, Cameron Howieson, Junior Stanislas, Michael Kightly, Ryan Noble.

Our opponents Southampton won promotion to the Premier League in 2011/12 and are now enjoying their second season in the top flight after winning back to back promotions under Nigel Adkins.

They quickly dispensed with the manager's services following promotion and just under a year ago surprisingly replaced him with Mauricio Pochettino. They were in 15th place when he arrived and by the season's end had moved up one place to 14th.

This season they are currently ninth but were as high as third in November before a disappointing run of results.

They could line up tomorrow with as many as three former Clarets in the team. Jay Rod will be bursting at the seams to be included and he could be joined by Danny Fox and Jack Cork, both of whom joined the Saints in the summer transfer window of 2011.

It is difficult to determine what team Pochettino will start with. He's definitely without goalkeeper Arthur Boruc, Victor Wanyama and Dani Osvaldo whilst both Guly do Prado and Lloyd Isgrove have returned to training.

Whether those two will be deemed ready to play remains to be seen and they will also have to check on James Ward-Prowse and Nathaniel Clyne who suffered knocks in the defeat against Chelsea on New Year's Day.

Fox didn't play in that game but is expected to push for a start as will Maya Yoshida, Jos Hooiveld and Rickie Lambert, and there could be a first ever start for young striker Sam Gallagher.

Southampton's team against Chelsea was: Kelvin Davis, Calum Chambers, Jose Fonte, Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw (Nathaniel Clyne), Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Cork (Rickie Lambert), Steven Davis (James Ward-Prowse), Adam Lallana, Gaston Ramirez, Jay Rodriguez. Subs not used: Paulo Gazzaniga, Maya Yoshida, Jos Hooiveld, Sam Gallagher.

Last Time We Were There

Our last trip to St. Mary's came in February two years ago. We went there having won five of the last six league games and in ninth place in the league after almost dropping into the bottom three just a few weeks earlier.

Keith Treacy had our only shot on target

We'd lost only two of the previous twelve games and went there with some confidence against a Southampton side who were in second place but had won only one in their previous six.

Things didn't go our way and goals from Adam Lallana and Billy Sharp gave the home side a comfortable 2-0 win. Quite simply they played well and we didn't. We were nowhere near the sort of form we'd been showing in that good run of games and, although we didn't know it at the time, we were just beginning a run of only one win in nine games.

Southampton were in front after only eight minutes. Man of the match Guly do Prado played the ball to full back Frazer Richardson. David Edgar lost Lallana as the cross came in and allowed the Southampton man to score.

Lee Grant saved well a minute later when a second goal looked likely but then Keith Treacy forced Kelvin Davis into a good save in what proved to be our only shot on target all afternoon.

And just past the half hour the scoring was complete when Billy Sharp was credited with a goal that was, without any doubt, a Ben Mee own goal. It was Sharp's first goal for Southampton and although he admitted it was an own goal said he was happy to claim it.

In truth we did well to keep it to 2-0 such was the gulf between the two sides on the day.

The teams were;

Southampton: Kelvin Davis, Frazer Richardson, Jose Fonte, Jos Hooiveld, Danny Fox, Guly Do Prado (Dean Hammond 78), Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Cork, Adam Lallana, Billy Sharp (David Connolly 64), Rickie Lambert (Tadanari Lee 90+2). Subs not used: Aaron Martin, Jason Puncheon.

Burnley: Lee Grant, Kieran Trippier, Michael Duff, David Edgar, Ben Mee (Zavon Hines 74), Ross Wallace, Dean Marney (Marvin Bartley 45), Chris McCann, Keith Treacy (Josh McQuoid 45), Charlie Austin, Jay Rodriguez. Subs not used: Brian Jensen, Brian Easton.

Previous Games against Southampton

Click HERE to see all previous results against Southampton