HORNETS star Luther Blissett today warned Saints: "Watford can reach Cardiff."

Blissett is a Vicarage Road legend, having made a record 415 appearances and scored a record 148 goals during three spells at the club between 1976 and 1992.

The former England striker helped Watford memorably rise from the Fourth Division to runners-up in the old First Division between 1978-1983 and hopes the glory times are about to return to his former club.

He said: "The excitement the FA Cup has generated in Watford is quite incredible. Everyone is really looking forward to the game and all four teams in the competition will now believe they are going to Cardiff for the final.

"Watford have a good chance of achieving it. Their biggest strength is that they are all in there fighting for a cause. They are in it together and there is super spirit in the team."

Watford had been struggling for goals this season, but amazingly scored seven on Saturday at Burnley with Newcastle loan signing Michael Chopra on target FOUR times.

"The confidence and the lift that result will give the players is massive," said ex-Cherries star Blissett.

"Chopra has got some pedigree and certainly proved that he can finish. Generally they have not been scoring many goals all season so that result was really quite incredible."

Blissett believes Sunday's game will be close, with the opening goal probably proving to be decisive. He said: "It will be a tight game and probably the team that scores first will win it. I'm expecting it to be 1-0 or 2-1.

"Possibly if someone gets ahead they might get a goal on the break and win 2-0, but neither team scores many goals - there won't be much in it at all."

He added: "From what I've seen of Southampton their big improvement seems to have come in their fitness.

"They are fitter than they have been and a lot of that is down to the manager who was like that. They also have a goalscorer and that is obviously a big strength.

"Chris Marsden is instrumental and the goalkeeper has done well. So they are very strong down the middle of the team."

Blissett, the last player to score a hat-trick on his debut for the English national senior side - against Luxembourg in 1982 - added: "James Beattie is a traditional type of English forward.

"He wins things in the air, he is decent on the ground, holds the ball up well and leads the line well.

"It's not a total surprise that he has done so well.

"He showed glimpses of what he could do in the past few seasons and he has got it together and proved to be an outstanding asset.

"He has probably come to understand the role much better and he was certainly unlucky to miss out for England."