Preston North End v Portsmouth
The FA Cup sponsored by E.ON
Fifth Round Proper
Deepdale, Preston North End FC
Winning clubs will receive £120,000 from The FA
Click here to see the fixtures



Preston North End manager Alan Irvine is delighted his side drew Portsmouth in The FA Cup Fifth Round draw and says he is full of respect for Harry Redknapp's men.

Preston brushed aside the Premier League's bottom club Derby 4-1 in the Fourth Round to book their place in the last 16 and Irvine is hopeful his Championship side can knock out another top-flight club to make it into the quarter-finals of the competition.

He said: "I am pleased with the draw, it's a real tough one there is no doubt about that. Portsmouth are a very good team, very athletic and powerful and full of real quality but I said I wanted one extreme or the other; I wanted a smaller team or a Premier team and there were only six Premier teams left in and to get one at home is terrific.

"I am delighted about that but I am well aware of the size of the task. I would have been a bit disappointed if we had got a Championship team because we play them every week so it is nice to have a Premiership team.

"Saying that, though, if you could pick the draw yourself you would try and pick an easier opponent than Portsmouth but you are in the lap of the gods as far as the draw is concerned.

"The big clubs are still in The Cup. It's been in the hands of the big clubs since 1995 and it is still heading that way, but this year has been different because so many Premiership teams have gone out.

"I think that is more of an indication as to how well their opponents have done, rather than a lack of preparation from the big clubs.

"We are not on a par with Portsmouth; they are a very good team and I believe it would be another upset if we were to beat them. I thought it was an upset to beat Derby and I think this would be an even bigger one."

North End's wonderful Cup run is in stark contrast to their league form as they languish in the Championship's relegation zone and Irvine is determined the attention of The FA Cup will not distract his players until the big day at Deepdale.

He added: "We won't even start thinking about it until it is the next game and we will prepare by watching them but I will not turn my attention to it until it is the next game we are playing."