Saints midfielder Matthew Oakley insists he is remaining focused on tomorrow night's crunch league match with Arsenal and is trying not think about the FA Cup final just ten days later.

In an incredible twist of fate, Saints travel to Highbury for a game against the Gunners that had to be postponed last month because of both sides' FA Cup semi-final commitments.

Only ten days after their Premiership encounter, the two sides will come head-to-head at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to contest the FA Cup final.

Oakley believes that the absence of the suspended Sol Campbell could help Saints in both matches. He said: "It won't be the same game but we'll be looking to beat them in the league and hopefully in the final.

"Their form recently does give us a better chance and it will be a different game in the league.

"For some reason though they are picking up a lot more injuries at the moment than they have all season and Sol Campbell is definitely out and that's a major blow for them.

"He holds their defence together and they really miss him when he's not playing.

"Cygan has pulled his calf as well and we'll have to see how fit he is.

"But Campbell is a massive blow for them and you can see why they were so desperate to get that red card rescinded but fortunately for us it wasn't and they have to go on now without him."

Oakley has been at Saints for ten years and has had to wait all that time for his first crack at a major piece of domestic silverware.

And the 25-year-old confessed that it can be hard to stop himself dreaming of being in Cardiff on May 17.

He added: "It is difficult to remain focused, everybody's talking about the final but we're professionals and we've got to do our job and look to pick up points and go into that game with confidence.

"I do think about it and you just need to switch off at certain points in the day otherwise you would drive yourself mad and forget about what we're doing in the league.

"Hopefully it will be our year this year."