Russell Martin: Southampton 'won't be distracted' by Liverpool FA Cup tie
- Published
Russell Martin saw Saints extend their club record unbeaten run to 24 games in all competitions on Tuesday night
Boss Russell Martin won't let a FA Cup date with Liverpool distract Southampton from their promotion push.
Saints saw off Watford in a fourth-round replay on Tuesday to book a trip to Anfield on 28 February.
A 21-match unbeaten streak in the Championship has hauled Martin's side into the automatic promotion places and he doesn't want his team distracted.
"It will be exciting. We have a lot of games between now and then so it won't be a focus for a while," he said.
Saints have five Championship games in a two-week period starting with the visit of Huddersfield on Saturday.
Martin told BBC Radio Solent his players "have earned the opportunity" to pit themselves against the Premier League leaders and their outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp.
He said: "We have so many games between now and then to focus on but we can all really look forward to it.
"The biggest test for us will be to go there and be the team we want to be. We're not going to change anything - it'll be a brilliant challenge.
"It is a great place to play football and to play against one of the best managers in the world in his last season there will be amazing. It holds a special place for me because I scored there on the day my son was born (for Norwich in September 2015)."
Although he enjoyed the second-half showing at St Mary's, Martin said the goalless opening 45 minutes against the Hornets was a different matter.
"It was a really convincing performance in the second half. I didn't enjoy the first half - it's probably as frustrated as I have been with them for quite some time.
"We have been so good but we lacked aggression and intensity in the first half in a big way, which isn't like us. Second half we were amazing. The response was amazing.
"There were some really outstanding performances. Four academy guys on the pitch and they did brilliantly - all of them. Jayden Meghoma was incredible, he's going to be an amazing player."