ASSISTANT manager Matt Gill hinted Saints will make changes on Sunday - but insisted they go to Watford intending to progress in the FA Cup.

Saints rang the changes for their 4-0 win over Walsall in the third round as only Jack Stephens and Taylor Harwood-Bellis kept their place from the start.

The FA Cup could afford the likes of Mason Holgate and Charly Alcaraz some much-needed game time having played limited minutes in recent times.

Speaking ahead of their trip to Vicarage Road, Gill explained how rotation has been an important factor in Southampton's unbeaten run.

He said: "The balance of the team is important but we want to win the game first and foremost. 

"There will be some changes, of course, and some players deserve to play - but a strength of ours over the last few months is that everyone has been used.

"It has been spoken about that we have scored the most goals from substitutes, so everyone needs to be ready. 

"They deserve an opportunity to perform on the pitch. There is a balance to be had between being competitive and wanting to win.

"We will need everyone between now and the end of the season. We need everyone to be ready for minutes on the pitch.

"We have a huge February and March coming up with lots of games so we need everyone to be able to perform how we need them to."

A late goal from Rhys Healey saw Watford rescue a 1-1 draw after Che Adams had put Saints in front when the two sides met in December.

Watford, managed by Valérien Ismaël, sit ninth in the Championship, with aspirations of getting into the playoffs.

They beat National League side Chesterfield 2-1 in the previous round thanks to a 95th-minute winner from Tom Dele-Bashiru.

Asked if last month's draw bears any relevance on Sunday's FA Cup tie, Gill explained: "A little bit.

"We have watched back the game and looked for stuff we didn't do well and stuff we did do well in that game.

"We have looked for similarities with how they have played of late, so we have viewed this game the same as any other in the way we have analysed it. 

"The working week has changed slightly with the Sunday fixture but we have taken a few things we did well and a few things to improve on.

"Watford will want to win the game also and I think Russell would say that we want to approach any game the same whether it's home, away or in the cup."