'I'm a Southampton legend - we have a player who can halt Man City juggernaut'

View 4 Images

Shane Long has told Southampton they are asking for trouble if they try to park the bus against Manchester City . The Saints legend believes his former club have the confidence and quality to test Pep Guardiola in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

While the Saints are massive underdogs, they are bang in form after storming into Championship promotion contention and dumping out Arsenal in the quarter-finals. Having looked like relegation candidates when Will Still was sacked in November, Tonda Eckert's side are in the midst of a 20-game unbeaten run and had won eight in a row prior to the midweek draw with Bristol City.

Despite those stats, toppling the Premier League titans is a huge ask. Long says an upset in front of 35,000-plus Saints fans is possible, provided they make the most of the scraps of possession they will get.

Long told Mirror Football in association with Midnite: " Southampton are coming into it with a lot of confidence and they need to use that. Hopefully, we can get a good start, a foothold, and be realistic enough to know they're not going to control it like they do in the Championship.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Latest news, analysis and much more on Mirror Football's Facebook page

"When they do have the ball, keep it. You don't want to just sit in a deep block because you're asking for trouble that way. There's a good mentality in the squad. They've got the fitness to go to the end of the game and that never-say-attitude.

"It's a confident dressing room and you can tell they're together as unit. They get on well off the pitch too. They have great determination to defend and keep a clean sheet."

Long says the Saints will need a moment of magic from a player like Brazilian winger Leo Scienza, who has become a talisman since his summer arrival from Heidenheim. Long, 39, said: "Scienza is an unbelievable player. He can control a game and have a magic moment out of nowhere that can get you a goal.

View 4 Images

"There's a lot of talent in that Southampton squad and a lot of options, players who've come from so-called bigger clubs and they're hungry to prove themselves.

"I'm sure Man City are wary of them. I know City are in good form themselves but this is a big banana skin for them."

View 4 Images

While Southampton are in promotion contention, Long says he would choose winning the FA Cup over an immediate return to the Premier League. He said: "I think the fans would go for an FA Cup, because the Championship is so enjoyable as well.

"They still talk about 1976 [when they won the competition] and how big that moment was. Having another moment like that would be incredible.

View 4 Images

"When you retire, having an FA Cup under your belt would be remembered more than getting promoted and then struggling the year after. I'd pick an FA Cup but I'm not sure about the club. Money-wise, the Premier League would be amazing for them.

I fancy Leeds to win the other semi-final [against Chelsea ]. If they can get past Man City, it's a great opportunity to get an FA Cup."