English FA CUP
2026-03-08 - Fulham vs Southampton
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English FA Cup Fifth Round
Sunday 8th March 2026 - Kick Off 12pm
This game is live on TV
Fulham
Days after beating Tottenham Hotspur at Craven Cottage, Fulham were not able to do the same against another relegation threatened London rival. The results have not severely dented hopes of reaching a UEFA competition for next season, but Fulham turn their attention to the FA Cup this weekend and Marco Silva has long spoken of the importance of these domestic Cup competitions.
Wins over a couple of opponents from the Championship have seen Fulham move through to the FA Cup Fifth Round and they did play in the Quarter Final last year before being dumped out by eventual Winners Crystal Palace. The manager and the squad will be expected to match that run by getting the better of another second tier opponent after those wins over Middlesbrough and Stoke City.
Fulham had won 3 in a row in all competitions, but the run was ended in a battling 0-1 defeat to West Ham United a few days ago. The side have won 4 of the last 6 at Craven Cottage, but the exceptions have both been in matches that have ended in defeat.
Kevin is expected to miss the rest of the season, while Harry Wilson may be included in the squad.
Southampton
A disappointing season in the Premier League saw Southampton barely scramble over Derby County's record low total, but the club is run in a way where they would have expected an immediate return to the top flight. It has been a challenging start to the season for Southampton, but the removal of Will Still as manager has sparked a run that has the team pushing for a Play Off spot in the Championship.
Credit has to be given to Tonda Eckert for the revival, but Southampton are still 4 points behind the top six and will need a strong end to the campaign to bully their way into the Play Off positions. The Saints have beaten Doncaster Rovers and Leicester City on the way to the FA Cup Fifth Round this season, even if the Cup is a distant second priority compared with the League.
Southampton are not only unbeaten in 9 games in all competitions, but they have won 6 of those matches in regulation time and that will have given the entire squad a lift. Since losing at the Riverside Stadium in early January, Southampton are unbeaten in 6 on their travels and have won 5 of those matches.
Head to Head
Fulham took four points from Southampton in the top flight last season, but the game at Craven Cottage finished goalless.
That result means Fulham have won 1 of the last 4 at home against Southampton, while 2 of the last 3 have ended in draws.
Prediction
It has been a relatively busy month of football for Fulham, even without being involved in European competition, but they have had a bit of time to prepare for this FA Cup Fifth Round tie.
Another week on the training ground is coming up, which is a bonus, and that also means Marco Silva can pick a strong team in a competition in which he does demand Fulham to have success.
They reached the Quarter Final last season, but Silva will want to go at least one better, although he has made it clear that Fulham cannot afford to underestimate Southampton.
The second tier club have been playing with real momentum over the last couple of months and piling up positive results can only be a good thing. The Championship is the priority for Southampton as they look to earn at least a Play Off place, but this is a team that will feel they have nothing to lose on Sunday and that does make them dangerous.
Wins in 4 of the last 5 away games in all competitions should only strengthen the Southampton belief, but they are going to be given a stern examination by this Fulham squad.
The FA Cup successes over Middlesbrough and Stoke City show that Fulham do have a quality advantage and they should have enough to edge past Southampton as long as the players do not come out with a lack of intensity.
An early kick off is a bit of an issue, but Fulham's attacking powers should come through to help them into another FA Cup Quarter Final.
The Pick :
Fulham 2-1 Southampton
