Southampton's Danny Fox has insisted that the newly-promoted Premier League side will have "no fear" when they go up against Manchester City on Sunday.
The Saints, who finished second in the Championship under Reading last season, have been labelled as underdogs for this weekend's clash as Man City try to defend their title.
"Everyone knows how good Manchester City are, we watched them last week against Chelsea in the Community Shield," Sky Sports News quotes Fox as saying.
"It will be a game where if we win everyone will be shocked and if we lose no-one will be shocked. Obviously we are going there as underdogs but it is a game we have to go into with no fear and play the way we have been taught to and hopefully we do ourselves proud."
Meanwhile, Blackpool have claimed that Southampton have made an illegal approach for Matt Phillips.