MANAGER Mat Salder insisted Walsall are coming to "prove people wrong" against Saints in the FA Cup on Saturday.

The 38 year old admitted it will be a challenge for his side against an in-form Southampton side who have not lost in 18 games, but one he is looking forward to.

Walsall head to St Mary's off the back of a 6-1 away win over Grimsby Town on New Year's Day. 

Sadler's side have only lost one of their last six league fixtures and have claimed wins over Wrexham, Notts County and Crewe in that time.

“It’s a fantastic challenge,” Sadler told Walsall's club media ahead of Saturday's cup tie at St Mary's.

“Russell’s done a brilliant job there. They’re on a brilliant run themselves, as are we, so we know they’re going to be really tough opponents.

“It’s a break from league action for us on the back of what’s been a relentless period in the last four weeks.

"It has been tough and the guys have been outstanding in the way they’ve recovered in between games and got themselves ready for the next game so credit to them for that.

“We now look forward to what will be a really good game and a really good challenge.”

Walsall entered the FA Cup in the first round and have defeated non-league opposition Sheppey United and Alfreton Town to set up a fixture against Southampton. 

They may potentially look at Southampton's defeat to League Two Gillingham earlier this season as a sign of a cup upset.

“We’re going there to prove people wrong, that’s the challenge. It’ll be a completely different (test of character)," Sadler added via the Express and Star.

"You asked what does the FA Cup mean to me? When you come into it in the first round then you want to get to the third round, and you want to have big games.

“This is a big game. It’s one we’re really looking forward to and we got through some tough ties to get here.

“I do believe that because they were real banana skin games that we’ve got through. We’ll be putting them in the best frame of mind possible to do all the things that I’ve said so far.

“But we’re not just going there to enjoy. We’ll enjoy it by playing well and by showing the best versions of ourselves in what we know will be a difficult game, but that’s the challenge.”