Delgado eyes final spot

Agustin Delgado, Southampton’s reformed rebel striker from Ecuador, insists he will be ready to tackle Arsenal on FA Cup final day – if Saints can brush past First Division Watford in tomorrow’s semi-final at Villa Park.

World Cup star Delgado angered St Mary’s fans by briefly quitting Britain two months ago following a row between his club and country, who accused Southampton of playing him too soon after a back injury.

His exile back in Ecuador lasted little more than a week, though, and Saints chairman Rupert Lowe brokered a peace treaty which saw the £3.2m signing return to the south coast.

And after an operation to repair a damaged disc in his back, the powerful 28-year-old, who has played only nine times in his 17 months at the club, declares he is finally close to full fitness again and wants to achieve “redemption”.

One of Delgado’s rare appearances for Saints was the shock 3-2 win over Arsenal at St Mary’s in November when he scored the decisive goal.

He was back on the treatment table soon afterwards – then came his short-lived walk-out.

But now he declares: “I am now well settled in Southampton and look forward to playing in the first team very soon.

“I feel I will definitely be fit for May 17 for the final if we qualify and if the team needs me I would like the chance to achieve a kind of redemption by playing in the final.

“I know the FA Cup produces surprises but I can see Southampton and Arsenal there in the final. And when I played against Arsenal earlier in the season I thought we matched up well with them.”

Delgado feels he has had no chance to prove his quality to Saints fans because of “unfortunate injuries” and with Latvian Marian Pahars, last season’s top-scorer, – also injured, manager Gordon Strachan has a striking dilemma - despite possessing the Premiership’s leading marksman in 22-goal James Beattie.

Many of the 20,000-plus Saints fans who will swarm on Villa Park tomorrow want to see their one-time wonder boy Kevin Davies, 26, given the chance to partner Beattie, 25, but so far Strachan has stuck with former Blackpool striker Brett Ormerod despite his barren run of 23 games without a goal.

Davies, signed from Chesterfield six years ago after spearheading the little Derbyshire club’s fairytale run to the FA Cup semi-finals, has never recaptured the form that persuaded Blackburn to pay £7.5m for him in 1999.

Beattie had just moved in the opposite direction for a comparatively-modest £1m – and Davies was soon to join him back at Southampton after flopping with Rovers, who swapped him for Saints’ Norwegian striker Egil Ostenstad.

Recently, however, Davies has been making his mark again – scoring a late equaliser as a substitute against Millwall in round four to keep Saints in the Cup. Then he came off the bench again to rescue a Premiership point against Aston Villa last month.

Yet Saints are still hesitating over offering him a new contract to replace the one that expires in June.

And he admits: “It is out of my hands. It is the manager’s decision and although I’m looking to be involved in the semi-final I would be surprised if I’m asked to start.”

With club captain Jason Dodd still struggling with a foot injury, Saints’ back four virtually picks itself but Strachan has to decide whether record £4m signing Rory Delap has sufficiently recovered from a long-term knee injury to win the vote over Anders Svensson as replacement for cup-tied midfielder David Prutton.