GORDON STRACHAN admits his Saints team have missed striker Marian Pahars.

The little Latvian has this week undergone a second operation on his injured ankle and is not expected back until the middle of March.

Pahars has been a regular source of goals for Saints, but his season has been ruined by injury as, James Beattie apart, Saints have struggled slightly to find the net.

Strachan said: "Marian Pahars has been a big miss. People forget about Pahars, but over the past few years he has been our top goalscorer.

"Thierry Henry or van Nistelrooy would be a big loss for Arsenal or Man United and that is what it has been like for us."

Immediately after the game, Strachan felt his team lacked a cutting edge in last week's 1-0 defeat by Blackburn, but he said: "I looked again at the game as I'd thought maybe we hadn't got enough crosses in.

"But we got 27 crosses into the box. Their two centre-halves and goalkeeper just played very well indeed. They were the difference in the end.

"We worked very hard and we played some decent football.

"I knew we had played okay, but on looking at it again there was an edge to our play.

"We just needed a wee bit better movement.

"That is what you must look for. For the reserves, Kevin Davies has done very well this week and Brett Ormerod scored."

Rory Delap and Jason Dodd are both available for selection again, while Danny Higginbotham is likely to remain at left-back. Buit David Prutton is cup-tied after appearing for Notts Forest in the third round.

With so many players away on international duty, Strachan was yesterday keen to have all his players in for an afternoon training session.

"It's been a funny week for us, with the players away for internationals and I only had four first-teamers on Tuesday.

"I brought the players in so they could get their minds on Norwich."

Strachan also acknowledged the buzz about Southampton surrounding the FA Cup.

"Everyone wants to go to Cardiff and there is an excitement about the game," he said.

"The fans have always been good and I'm sure we will need their backing again.

"They've shown commonsense and not got too carried away.

"For now it is the most important competition, but next week Everton will be the most important. I don't really prioritise - I just want to win every game.

"The last eight is when you do start thinking about winning it.

"I'm excited - it is a huge game for us - but I'm confident of winning games against any team with the batch of players we have got."