After a run of 13 Barclays Premier League games without a win, the former England defender's sole aim will be to see off the Hammers and move a step nearer to a Wembley date and only the second major trophy in the club's history.

After a turbulent time in the top flight, in which Luiz Felipe Scolari and Tony Adams have been sacked by Chelsea and Portsmouth respectively, Southgate has no fears about following them out of the door.

"I have just been on a course with other managers and by the time it finished two had been sacked and another (Joe Kinnear) ended up in hospital. You have to accept the nature of the game that you are in," Southgate said.

"But at the same time you learn to take it with a pinch of salt. Not long ago everyone was hailing Scolari.

"He has outstanding pedigree and has won the World Cup. If it (being sacked) happens to him, it can happen to anybody.

"Gianfranco Zola at West Ham was under pressure after a poor run. When we played them earlier in the season they couldn't win a game, though they played well.

"Now he's being tipped to take over at Chelsea. That's how things can change in football, that's what hype does.

"I accept that managers being sacked is part and parcel of the industry. If you accept that you are vulnerable it gives you strength, in a way.

"It galvanises you to make things want to work at your club. That's what I want to do."

And Southgate added with a smile: "Every Monday morning that I am still here I know that I have beaten the bookies."

Come Monday Southgate wants Boro to have extended their cup run, though they must do so without injured defender Chris Riggott, at 28 the oldest player in the Boro squad, and striker Marlon King, who is cup tied.

Southgate feels the FA Cup can bring the best out of his young side, and loves the competition himself.

"I still feel the magic of the FA Cup," he admitted. "I want to be in there as long as we can.

"In the last two years we have reached the quarter-finals and I want to get at least that far again.

"We could surprise people because nobody expects us to win at West Ham. They play good football and have good players, especially Carlton Cole, who got an England cap in midweek.

"It is one of the toughest draws we could have had because West Ham are in form. But we will field as strong a side as we can."

Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli is favourite to partner Afonso Alves up front, after starting on the bench in last week's 1-0 defeat at Manchester City.

But Marvin Emnes, fresh from scoring twice for Holland's Under-21 side in the 4-1 midweek win over Greece, will also be in the manager's thoughts, particularly as he netted the winner in the previous round at Wolves.

Boro lost to West Ham in the semi-final three years ago, but Southgate feels his side will be more focused tomorrow.

"We were between semi-finals in the UEFA Cup, having already played the first leg in Bucharest," he added.

"There was a strange atmosphere in the West Ham game and we didn't even sell all our tickets. It was West Ham's day, tomorrow we want it to be ours."