Nev: Don't Underestimate Them

Skipper's warning ahead of crunch FA Cup clash with Blackpool.

Phil Neville is expecting Everton's FA Cup fifth round meeting with Blackpool to be every bit as tough as last weekend’s clash with Chelsea.

The Blues welcome the in-form Tangerines to Goodison Park on Saturday with a place in the quarter-finals at stake.

Ian Holloway's charges are unbeaten in 2012 and moved up to fourth in the npower Championship with a 3-1 win at Doncaster on Tuesday.

Last season, second-tier Reading sent Everton crashing out of the cup at this same stage.

And with that miserable low in mind, Neville is warning his teammates to approach the game like any other.  

"It’s a big one for the Club in terms of silverware – this is our only opportunity to win something this season,” he said. "I watched Blackpool against Sheffield Wednesday [in their FA Cup fourth round replay]. You forget what they were like last season. They were totally gung-ho, playing 4-2-4, but then they got relegated. They probably suffered at the start of this season but they are on a nice little run at the moment and have got their confidence and swagger back.

“Saturday is going to be a totally different kettle of fish. Blackpool will bring six to eight thousand people here, it’ll be a cup tie and league form goes out of the window. Blackpool have got quality. They will go for goals. It will probably be every bit as tough as we faced against Chelsea."

Last February, Neville and Co got a lesson in just how tricky the Tangerines can be when they were dragged into an eight-goal thriller at Goodison Park.

Blackpool, who were making a first league trip to the ground since 1971, twice came from behind to lead 3-2 before imploding and conceding a further three late on.

And Neville recalled: “Even at 5-3, they left four or five people up front. They will come here and attack 100 per cent. They will put us under pressure and we have to make sure we treat them the same way we treated Man City and Chelsea.

“They have got experienced Premier League forwards in [Lomana ] Lua Lua and Kevin Phillips, and Matty Phillips looks a really good player. They have Tom Ince, Incey’s lad, who looks a really good young player too.”

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