What is the latest Crystal Palace team news for tomorrow?
We're looking good. We have James McArthur and James Tomkins both starting training with the team. We had Jordan Ayew and Wilfried Zaha coming back from the Africa Cup of Nations too. Everybody's doing well
Do you expect Zaha and McArthur to be part of the squad tomorrow?
We had a training session this morning and Wilfried will just be too short for the squad, Macca as well. They just had a couple of training sessions with the squad so they need a couple more days before starting to get involved.
Jean-Philippe Mateta permanent deal, happy with that?
JP showed his determination in the last couple of months. It's been really challenging for him since he's been at the club with injuries and a lack of opportunities. And the last couple of games that he was involved he did quite well.
When you look at what he's been doing, you look at his age, I think he is a good signing for the football club. So now I think it's him who has to take that opportunity to show his talent and to do well for the football club.
Good to see Cheikhou Kouyate in the AFCON final with Senegal?
I'm really proud and really happy for him. I knew how determined he was to win the competition. And now they are in the final it's the bigger one - the most important one - and hopefully, he will, they will win it and he will get back home with the trophies and we will be really happy and really proud of him.
We will you be watching it with the team on Sunday. Are there any plans to watch it together?
We will be in on Sunday morning for training. This is for sure. And then after I think that it will be at home.
How important is it for the squad to really progress into the next round of the FA Cup? What's your message to them?
We want to give ourselves the best chance to go to the next round. We want to have a really good run in the FA Cup. We were lucky to have a draw at home. So we have to take that advantage and we will do our best to go to the next one and we have to go to the next one.
We know that we are the favourite for the game and we have to be mentally prepared because it's not going to be easy at all. And we have to be mentally ready for those challenges that are ahead of us. And there will be no excuses. We will be ready for it and we will compete in the right way to have more chance, of course, to go to the next round.
Do you share your own memories of the FA Cup with the team?
No, I don't talk about the past. What is important is what is ahead of us and how can we as a team perform at the level with determination and concentration to play a good game that will allow us to go to the next round.
Roy Keane is being linked to the job in Sunderland, would you like to see him back?
Yeah, I think deep inside him this is something that he will want to try again. And I think if there's opportunity there, I think he will. He will take it. And I will wish him good luck.
How good is it to have James McArthur back around the squad? Have you missed him over these last few weeks?
He is a really important player for us on and off the field. He's got the experience, he is a really strong character and he is a competitor. Obviously, we miss him in the field and to have him back in training is good. If there are no issues he will be involved for the next game.
You've said before there's been a lack of experience in your players. Is tomorrow a chance for them to build that up against a League Two side?
The challenge for us is to be really focused and concentrate on how can we perform well as a team. Of course, it is going to be challenging because we are going to face a team who will want to create an upset and we have to be ready for those challenges. And we're going to face a team that will work hard and will make it very difficult for us.
So knowing that we have to be mentally prepared for that challenge. So we have to be at our best we will be and we will take this game seriously with a lot of respect. And what we want is to go and to perform and to win the game that allows us to go to the next round.
Do you think it's harder for younger players to prepare mentally for a game like this?
No, not at all, I think it all depends on the message and the message has been clear all week. So we know what to expect. We know how the game will be - we have been referencing the messages all week. And so that means there are no excuses for us and we have to take responsibility and responsibility is to go on the field to perform well and perform at our best. Our objective is to go to the next round and we know how challenging that can be.
What are your overall feelings towards the FA Cup and what's your favourite FA Cup memory?
The FA Cup is something that I discovered when I arrived in the UK and there has always been a lot of passion around those games. And this is an important competition for the fans and for the football club. The first one with Arsenal was really special, the last one with Arsenal was also special because that was my last kick [winning penalty] for Arsenal Football Club. The one with Manchester City was was something quite really special as well. So I have some wonderful memories in the FA Cup.
