Southampton

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Southampton boss Russell Martin says he and his team "have not spoken about an unbeaten run" as they look to equal a club record set in 1921-22.

Saints have not lost for 18 matches in the Championship, and can match their record of 20 games without defeat across all competitions in Saturday's meeting with Sheffield Wednesday.

"We haven’t spoken about an unbeaten run," Martin said ahead of the match at a sold out St Mary's. "The biggest incentive is hunting down the teams ahead of us. If we carry on doing that, but still make some history then amazing."

After a hectic festive period, Southampton have no midweek fixtures for the rest of January and Martin is looking forward to the opportunity of more time working with his players.

"This month gives us the chance to nail down some stuff that we wanted to work on," he added. "It’s not done in a week but the players have attacked it well.

"We have done a review of the last block of games as now we have some time - it’s a real luxury."

On the latest episode of the Saints and Sinners Southampton podcast, Tom Deacon and Adam Blackmore reflect on the FA Cup win over Walsall, look ahead to Saturday's match with Sheffield Wednesday, and give their thoughts on what business Russell Martin needs to do in the January transfer window.

Listen on BBC Sounds

Wolves have made a move for 27-year-old Scotland striker Che Adams, whose contract at Southampton runs out in the summer. (Football Insider, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Harry Tizard, The Saints Score, external

Southampton cruised into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a thumping 4-0 win over Walsall on the weekend.

After a busy Christmas schedule, Russell Martin had the chance to rotate his squad, giving youngsters Jayden Meghoma, Samuel Amo-Ameyaw, Tyler Dibling and Cameron Bragg a chance to make an impression.

However, the experienced Ryan Fraser impressed the most, with the 29-year-old bagging two goals and an assist from the left wing.

The Newcastle United loanee was quickly dismissed by some Saints supports upon his arrival, but he has silenced the doubters - rubbishing rumours that he has attitude problems with crucial contributions.

The Scotland international has registered six goals and two assists in limited minutes. He now has an opportunity to retain his place in the side with injuries to Kamaldeen Sulemana and Samuel Edozie.

Fraser must take his opportunity and show he is more than just an impact substitute. He hasn't recorded a goal or an assist in his four starts in the Championship and has come off the bench in 16 of Southampton's past 18 in the league (only starting once).

A successful stint will almost guarantee him a permanent move to the Saints.

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Find out who your team has been drawn against in the FA Cup fourth round with the full list of ties below.

• Watford v Southampton

• Blackburn Rovers v Wrexham

• Bournemouth v Swansea City

• West Brom v Brentford/Wolves

• West Ham/Bristol City v Nottingham Forest/Blackpool

• Leicester City v Hull City/ Birmingham City

• Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry City

• Chelsea v Aston Villa

• Ipswich Town v Maidstone United

• Liverpool v Norwich City/Bristol Rovers

• Tottenham v Man City

• Leeds United v Plymouth Argyle

• Crystal Palace/Everton v Luton Town/Bolton

• Newport County/Eastleigh v Wigan/Man Utd

• Sheff Utd v Brighton

• Fulham v Newcastle United

The matches will take place over the weekend of 27-28 January.

Watch all the goals from the third round

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Former Southampton striker Jo Tessem has been discussing Ryan Fraser's impact on BBC Radio Solent's Goin' Home With Adam And Jo podcast: "He was the best player by a million miles [in the 4-0 FA Cup third-round win over Walsall].

"He does everything right. He will keep the width, keep the height, keep it high and wide, he makes the runs, takes people on and is a proper professional player. It is so good to see.

"What he's good at is the simple things. He'll drop his shoulder, might do a few step overs, but he'll drop his shoulder and go the other way. He's got the skills and that's why he is such a good player. He does it with pace, does it with a purpose, makes runs and he set us off [in the game]."

BBC Radio Solent sports editor Adam Blackmore said: "It was about the example he set some of the other players. He's 29, he's been frustrated on the bench, you could see that come out in his performance. But, he also knows that if he plays well, with Samuel Edozie out injured for the next month, he'll be in the starting line-up next week. So what do you do? You make it very hard for the manager not to make that decision.

Tessem added: "Unfortunately, in football you do get injuries, but when you get your chance you need to take it. If you take it and keep it, like Edozie has done coming in taking his chance and playing well, then you keep your place. That is what Ryan Fraser should do now.

"He gets his chance unfortunately because Edozie is injured but he gets his chance and thrives. Now can he keep it for the rest of the season? That is his aim.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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The draw for the FA Cup fourth round will take place on Monday, 8 January before the third-round tie between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United, which is being televised by ITV.

The 16 fourth-round games will be scheduled across the weekend of Saturday, 27 January.

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Southampton manager Russell Martin has hinted at changes but says he will send out a "really strong team" to face Walsall in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

The Championship side will be favourites to progress from their home tie against League Two opposition.

Speaking about being part of the FA Cup, Martin said: "I really enjoyed it as a player, and as a manager it's a brilliant opportunity for some people to get game time after a really hectic period.

"It's an opportunity to keep winning. We're going to have a really strong team out, but it will be a different team to how it's been in the past few games. It's exciting for them and I'm excited to see some of them take an opportunity they deserve.

"We've treated it as we would every other game, we've analysed Walsall and analysed our last game as we would, been through it on the training pitch about what we feel is really important, so then it's up to the players to go over the line and make sure we win."

Martin confirmed winger Sam Edozie is likely to be out for the remainder of the month with the injury he sustained at Norwich on 1 January, with James Bree and Kamaldeen Sulemana expected to return in a similar timeframe.

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Former Southampton captain Matt le Tissier believes there is an "optimistic vibe" around St Mary's that is vastly different to that of last season when Saints were relegated from the Premier League.

Russell Martin's side are looking to bounce back at the first time of asking and sit third in the Championship, three points behind Ipswich Town and the automatic promotion places.

"There's definitely a different feel to the crowd," Le Tissier told BBC Radio Solent's Saints And Sinners podcast. "An optimistic vibe that goes around the stadium before the game.

"The way that we've started a lot of matches where we've just completely dominated possession in the first 20 minutes of games, especially at St Mary's, where the opposition are struggling to get out of their own half helps with that.

"It kind of makes you feel pretty comfortable as a Saints fan because you're thinking: 'We don't look like we're going to concede, we have to just keep plugging away and we'll break through eventually.'

"It's a very different feel from last season where you were going to games thinking: 'I hope we can keep it down to two or three today.'"

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier says he is "more concerned" by staying ahead of Leeds United than he is of catching Ipswich Town as Russell Martin's side chase automatic promotion from the Championship.

Saints are third, three points behind Ipswich in second and four points above Leeds in fourth.

When asked if he was confident of his former side achieving automatic promotion back to the Premier League on BBC Radio Solent's Saints and Sinners podcast, Le Tissier said: "For sure.

"There's only three points in it at the moment, that's nothing over the course of another 20-odd games. I'm very optimistic that we can catch Ipswich.

"I'm actually probably a little bit more concerned at staying above Leeds. I think we will catch Ipswich but staying above Leeds come the end of the season will be the crucial factor.

"We play Leeds on the last day of the season I believe and that is shaping up to be quite some game. If it is the crucial one that means one team goes up and one team into the play-offs, then you will find me at my second away game of the season alongside two of my brothers who happen to be Leeds United fans."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Some 14 FA Cup ties will be available to either watch or listen to live on the BBC over third round weekend, which runs from 4 January to 8 January.

We'll bring you four televised matches across BBC One, BBC iPlayer and Red Button - with all also available to watch on the BBC Sport website and app.

And you'll also be able to listen to 12 commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Thursday, 4 January

• Crystal Palace v Everton (20:00) - 5 Live

Friday, 5 January

• Fulham v Rotherham United (19:30) - 5 Sports Extra

• Tottenham v Burnley (20:0) - 5 Live

Saturday, 6 January

• Millwall v Leicester City (12:30) - 5 Sports Extra

• Sunderland v Newcastle United (12:45) - 5 Live

• Gillingham v Sheffield United (15:00) - 5 Live

• Southampton v Walsall (15:00) - 5 Sports Extra

• Middlesbrough v Aston Villa (17:30) - 5 Live

• Chelsea v Preston (17:30) - 5 Sports Extra

Sunday, 7 January

• Peterborough v Leeds United (14:00) - 5 Live

• Luton Town v Bolton Wanderers (14:00) - 5 Sports Extra

Monday, 8 January

• Wigan v Manchester United (20:15) - 5 Live

All kick-off times listed are GMT

Harry Tizard, The Saints Score, external

Southampton missed the chance to cut the gap between themselves and second-placed Ipswich Town to one point but extended their unbeaten run in the Championship to 18 games with a draw against Norwich City.

There hasn't been much that Russell Martin has done wrong since Southampton's 2-1 loss to Middlesbrough, but there is a sense that he has created his own problems with the reintegration of Jack Stephens.

The captain missed 15 fixtures because of injury before returning to the squad, twice watching from the bench before getting involved.

Despite starting Saints' 5-0 thumping of Swansea City and coming on as a substitute in a trifecta of wins, there is a sense that he has been forced into the team at right-back.

Replacing the versatile Kyle Walker-Peters, who has moved up the pitch, Stephens looks unnatural in the complex position after missing much of the campaign and should only play at centre-back, where he is strong.

The 29-year-old must wait his turn because of the dominant performances and partnership of Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harwood-Bellis -but he is the sort of character to want to deserve his place rather than be gifted it on account of his authority in the squad.

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BBC Radio Solent's sports editor Adam Blackmore has been discussing the Saints dropping two points against Norwich City on the Goin' Home With Adam and Jo podcast: "Let's talk about why Southampton didn't put Norwich to bed. Usually there's many reasons like bad finishing, not enough good play in the final third, or not enough entrances into the penalty area.

"In my mind, they lack a little bit of quality still in certain areas or a player with a killer instinct who can just do something that's just a little bit too classy for the opponent.

"Saints did a lot of good things but, ultimately, I don't think they tested Gunn enough. Is that because of the way Saints play or is it because of the players not shooting enough?"

Former Southampton midfielder Jo Tessem answered: "I think it comes to points in games where you have to have that player who can unlock things by being individually very good. At the moment, I'm not sure that we've got that.

"We are solid as a team in terms of possession; we position ourselves, we are strong on the ball, we have a plan and we get away with what we're trying to do.

"When Norwich sat deep and parked the bus, we went into the same game mode as we were against Plymouth and Blackburn. So we are just continuing the same thing every game, it's a bit like Manchester City in the Premier League. They play exactly the same in every game because every team sets up similarly against them."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

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Shamoon Hafez, BBC Sport

Southampton are one of a number of sides interested in a January loan move for Burnley winger Manuel Benson.

The 26-year-old was a star performer in the Clarets' Championship title triumph last season, but has found game time in the Premier League a struggle, making only four appearances.

Now the Saints are looking to see if they can agree a deal for the Belgian, but BBC Sport understands Burnley will not be sanctioning a move to St Mary's.

Nathan Tella was on loan at Turf Moor from Southampton last season, scoring 19 goals for the club, but a permanent deal could not be agreed for the Nigeria international and he ended up joining Bayer Leverkusen.

Southampton are third in the Championship, three points adrift of an automatic promotion place, and Benson could add firepower to a side aiming for an immediate return to the top flight.

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Southampton boss Russell Martin wants to his side to "keep being the team we want to be" when they travel to Norwich City on New Year's Day.

Third-placed Saints extended their unbeaten run to 17 games with the 2-1 home win over Plymouth on Friday, and will move to within one game of a club record if they avoid defeat at Carrow Road.

"We now have another test on Monday, which will be tough - really tough,” said Martin.

"They're in a really good place, Norwich.

"It's a tough place to go, but we will go there hopefully with real belief and momentum to keep being the team we want to be, wherever we go.

"That was the challenge [against Plymouth]: to keep being the team we want to be. And we were, albeit for six minutes maybe not so much. I’m really grateful for what [the players have] given us. They’ve been amazing.

"We'll make sure we do our best to bring that energy on the pitch."