GORDON Strachan watched his Saints team get thumped 6-1 by Arsenal last night - but defiantly predicted Saints can lift the FA Cup at Cardiff a week on Saturday.

The Southampton boss stood helpless as Jermaine Pennant and Robert Pires scored Highbury hat-tricks, yet insisted: "A strange feeling came over me about ten minutes from the end - 'I think we can win the Cup'.

"I genuinely still believe we can win the cup. We will not win the cup by standing off and admiring Arsenal playing, but I will pick the team with the biggest hearts who want to run, who want to close down to give us a chance.

"Because if you don't do that you've got no chance. In a crisis people revert to what they are and nothing has surprised me from tonight.

"I'm disappointed in a big way, but nothing has surprised me.

"So in a strange way it has cleared my mind of any thought of how you have got to play against Arsenal. I know how we have got to play right now."

Saints started brightly enough and created chances early on before Arsenal took complete control during a torrid, yet breathtaking, 17-minute period in the first half-hour which put them five goals clear.

Fabrice Fernandes was immediately replaced with Chris Baird and the team improved as Jo Tessem got one back just before half-time.

Strachan said: "I look at the stats, they have 13 attempts and scored with six. We have had 12 attempts and scored with one, so we are talking about class.

"I watched the game and I thought 'when are we going to compete' and, funnily enough, my two strikers did alright for me.

"But you will never see goals scored like theirs again. I've never witnessed goals like that in my life because there was literally no tackling going on whatsoever.

"Chris Baird did alright in his first real game - he showed that he has the heart to be able to play there. Maybe not as skilful as some on the other side, but he showed heart and guts."

Strachan fielded a below-strength team and left James Beattie on the bench until the 76th minute, despite his striker being just one behind Ruud van Nistelrooy on 23 in the race for the Golden Boot.

He said: "James believes his teammates come first. I said to James 'your career will hopefully be caps, Champions' League, big matches, but some of your teammates might never see an FA Cup final again', so you have responsibilities to them to make sure he is at his best for the cup final.

"He has come on and had three chances and he is getting better all the time."

The results of the scan on Chris Marsden's knee have revealed heavy bruising but no cartilage damage. It means the influential midfielder should now be fit for the FA Cup final against Arsenal next Saturday.

Strachan, meanwhile, has apologised to Saints fans for the amount of time it took his side to re-emerge for the lap of thanks after the final game of the season at St Mary's against Bolton on Saturday.

He said: "To be honest, I was so wrapped up in the game and the result that I forgot it was the last home match of the season."