Southampton manager Claude Puel has backed his patched-up defence to deal with Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Saints are without key defender Virgil van Dijk for today's Wembley showdown with Manchester United in the EFL Cup final (4.30pm).
Instead teenager Jack Stephens, who is almost half Ibrahimovic's age, is set to be handed the job of shackling United's superstar striker.
But Puel, who came up against former Paris St Germain player Ibrahimovic while managing Lille in France, insists the in-form Swede holds no surprises for his side.
"I know Ibrahimovic very well from the French Premier League so I cannot be surprised by him," said Puel.
"In France he was a fantastic player but all the people say 'Okay, it is the French Premier League and not the English one'.
"But he has come here, he is 35 and he can do a fantastic job, fantastic work. He is clinical, very efficient and also he gives a good authority to the team. He is a character player.
"He is a strong man and a strong partner"
"He is very self-confident - he plays with this. He is a strong man and a strong partner. At Paris St Germain he gave a good atmosphere around the team and gave his team fantastic confidence.
"He doesn't run a lot but always with a good run, with good play, good gestures. It is fantastic to see him.
"We'll see if Jack starts this game. But for me of course I'm confident with the player, with the squad. I saw at our training camp in Spain very good concentration, very good spirit, quality in the training sessions.
"There was big attention from Jack and all these young players. They stay calm and just focus about what they can have to do.
"All the players can play in my team against Ibrahimovic. They know him now. We will give a good answer."
Saints were able to head to Spain thanks to a two-week break following their thumping 4-0 win over Sunderland.
United, by contrast, have crammed in three games in that time in both the Europa League and the FA Cup.
Yet Puel said: "I don't know if it will benefit because two weeks without an official game is sometimes difficult.
"At the beginning it is interesting to give a day off since the beginning of the season for the team. It is always difficult to find the good balance, the good work, to keep the good result without games.
"Sometimes I prefer to play every three days but sometimes without a game for a week it is better.
"But I think we find a good confidence about our last game with Sunderland and other work we can do in the training sessions also.
"It is a good challenge and we will see this on Sunday."
Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick are available but Henrikh Mkhitaryan will be absent for Manchester United.
United captain Rooney missed the midweek Europa League trip to St Etienne as he returned to fitness, but has been confirmed as part of the squad.
Midfielder Carrick has overcome a calf complaint sustained in France but Mkhitaryan's hamstring injury means he is out. Phil Jones is a doubt due to a foot issue, but Ander Herrera returns to the fold after serving a ban in the Europa League match
Provisional squad: De Gea, O'Hara, Romero, Henderson, Darmian, Shaw, Bailly, Blind, Jones, Fosu-Mensah, Rojo, Smalling, Valencia, Young, Herrera, Carrick, Fellaini, Mata, Pogba, Lingard, Schweinsteiger, Ibrahimovic, Martial, Rashford, Rooney.
Martin Caceres and Sofiane Boufal are hoping to be included in the Southampton squad.
Uruguay defender Caceres could be handed a Wembley debut following his recent move to Saints as a free agent, while club record signing Boufal is battling to be fit after an ankle injury.
Virgil van Dijk, Charlie Austin, Alex McCarthy, Matt Targett and Jeremy Pied all miss out through injury.
Provisional squad: Forster, Taylor, Bertrand, Yoshida, Caceres, Gardos, Cedric, Hesketh, Romeu, Clasie, Ward-Prowse, Isgrove, Tadic, Redmond, Boufal, Lewis, Stephens, Hojbjerg, McQueen, Sims, Rodriguez, Gabbiadini, Long.
