5 Things to Watch for in the Sunderland-Southampton FA Cup Tie

When Southampton make the trip to Sunderland for Saturday's fifth round FA Cup match, they certainly won't have to ask for directions.

The match marks the fourth meeting between the clubs this season, and the third at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland have had the edge in the series, winning the Capital One Cup tie 2-1 in November and earning two draws. The August match at St. Mary's ended 1-1, while the Premier League rematch at Sunderland in January saw the Black Cats rally to earn a 2-2 draw after being 2-0 down.

With 270 minutes of action to go through, certain themes have emerged to examine ahead of Saturday's game.

Who Will Field the Stronger Side?

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Will Mauricio Pochettino continue to rotate players into cup games?

One big question going into the match is which manager will field the stronger side.

While Mauricio Pochettino has played his first-team regulars more in the FA Cup, the Argentine still has been mixing bench players into the squad.

In the last FA Cup match against Yeovil Town, Pochettino inserted non-regular players like Kelvin Davis, Guly do Prado and Jos Hooiveld in the starting lineup while including youngsters such as Paulo Gazzaniga, Lloyd Isgrove and Harrison Reed on the bench.

Meanwhile, Gus Poyet hinted in his prematch press conference that he may make several changes to his lineup.

"I was looking forward to giving a few players opportunities and that will not change," Poyet told the Sunderland Echo (h/t to Sky Sports).

Can Southampton Make Its Possession Edge Count?

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SUNDERLAND, ENGLAND - JANUARY 18: Adam Lallana of Southampton is watched by Ki Sung-Yong of Sunderland during the Barclays Premier League match between Sunderland and Southampton at Stadium of Light on January 18, 2014 in Sunderland, England. (Photo by

In the two Premier League matches the sides have played this season, Southampton have had the clear edge in possession and shots attempted.

At St. Mary's, Southampton had the ball two-thirds of the time and passed the ball with an 85 percent success rate, according to WhoScored. The Saints also more then doubled Sunderland's shot total, 17-8.

In the match at Sunderland, Southampton's edge was less but still the Saints had clear control. Pochettino's men maintained the ball 64 percent of the time and had a 17-10 edge in shots.

Sunderland have done well to limit Southampton's chances on goal. Only 14 of those 34 Saints shots were actually on target.

Sunderland play the counter-attack game well, making the most of their opportunities. While Sunderland only had 18 shots, eight were on target with three finding the net.

Sebastian Larsson Is the Key Man in the Middle for Sunderland

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Sebastian Larsson has given Southampton headaches in the midfield this season.

One player that has given Southampton particular fits is Sebastian Larsson.

Larsson was particularly influential in the August match. Defensively, the Swede had three tackles and four interceptions, according to WhoScored. On offense, Larsson assisted on Sunderland's lone goal scored by Emanuele Giaccherini.

In the Capital One Cup match, Larsson scored what proved to be the game winner in the 86th-minute to give Sunderland a 2-0 lead. 

Depending on who Pochettino plays in the defensive midfield, expect Victor Wanyama or Morgan Schneiderlin to constantly shadow Larsson to prevent a repeat performance.

Can Southampton Stop Sunderland's Wingers?

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Southampton were unable to cope with Adam Johnson in their game in January.

In the previous three meetings, Southampton have had a hard time dealing with Sunderland's wide players.

Of the five Sunderland goals, four have come from wide players.

Phil Bardsley, a full-back, scored the opening goal in Sunderland's Capital One Cup victory in November. 

Three wingers—Emanuele Giaccherini, Fabio Borini and Adam Johnson—have also taken advantage of Southampton's full-backs and tallied goals.

While it would go against Mauricio Pochettino's high-pressure style, perhaps Luke Shaw and Nathaniel Clyne or Calum Chambers would be well advised to take things a bit more cautiously this weekend.

Attack of the Southampton Center Backs

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Maya Yoshida is one of three Southampton center backs to score against Sunderland this year.

Of the four goals Southampton have scored against Sunderland, three have come courtesy of center-backs.

In the first matchup of the season, Jose Fonte scored the equalizer in the 88th-minute to give the Saints a 1-1 draw at St. Mary's.

During the Capital One Cup, Maya Yoshida scored a late goal in vain as Southampton lost 2-1 at The Stadium of Light.

In Southampton's second trip to Sunderland, Dejan Lovren scored the Saints' second goal to give the visitors a 2-0 lead. Gus Poyet's side would eventually come back to earn a 2-2 draw.

If Sunderland can shut down the Southampton center-backs on set pieces, the Black Cats will greatly improve their odds of defeating the Saints again.