Southampton manager Nigel Adkins admits that promotion is the club’s number one priority but has backed his youngsters to do the business in their FA Cup fourth-round replay with Millwall on Tuesday night (Southampton 4/6, Millwall 4/1, draw 11/4 Match Prices).

The two Championship outfits played out a 1-1 draw in their first encounter – a result which did neither of them any favours – with the Saints in a battle for promotion and the Lions looking to keep out of danger at the wrong end of the table.

Despite sitting second in the standings, the south coast outfit have not enjoyed the best of fortunes in recent times and have won just two of their past 10 league games, with two draws since sharing the spoils with the south Londoners.

But Millwall are hardly setting the world alight themselves and have lost seven of their past 10 games, with just two wins, and are getting perilously close to the drop zone.

This match could be seen as a welcome distraction from the pressures of the league or a necessary nuisance, but Adkins is adamant that, although promotion to the promised land is never far from his thoughts, an extended stay in the FA Cup could benefit his side in the long run (Southampton 4/1 Championship Outright).

“Having put ourselves in the race to get promoted, the league is the priority,” he said. “But it’s great to have a cup run and we want to win all the games we compete for.

“It’s a tough game. We won’t underestimate the opposition but we want to get through to the next round.”

Adkins will field a young side at St Mary’ and he believes it is right to “tilise the youth”in his ranks in order for them to keep progressing.