Martin O’Neill: “Even if we had a full-size squad we’d be looking to making changes for the weekend.
“You do have to look at managing your squad in such a busy period, but for me it is still a very important game, and one we want to win.
“I think it will be fair to say that in most people’s eyes it has lost some of its sheen because the Premier League is the be-all and end-all of everything these days.
“Major clubs prioritise other competitions now, and so it has taken a little bit of a knocking.
“It’s still a great, great competition though, still one of the best.
“People still tune into the draw, but at one point you were going to full grounds in the third round, now they’re maybe three-quarters full.
“For me?
“It still has that aura that it had, and to reach a final or semi-final would be awesome.
“Last season we reached the quarter-final, and the atmosphere was something to behold.
“But you can just as easily be knocked out in the third round as you can be in the quarter-final.”