TONY Mowbray knows only too well what Marco Silva's Fulham are capable of on their day - for his Blackburn team were hit for seven by the Cottagers last season.

But rather than dwell on that hammering, Mowbray "threw it in the bin" immediately, just as he did Sunderland's recent home defeat to Swansea City when Luke O'Nien was sent off.

That's not to say the Sunderland boss has his head in the sand at all when it comes to assessing what today's FA Cup opponents are capable of, but he knows that Blackburn thumping was just one of those days when everything went right for Fulham and everything went wrong for Rovers.

And, in truth, being on the receiving end of a Fulham hammering last season was nothing to be ashamed about. Silva's side were by far the Championship's team and are showing their class in the Premier League, sitting pretty in seventh.

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“It was a game that I threw in the bin straight away – which is what I did after the Swansea defeat recently," said Mowbray, reflecting on that 7-0 loss.

"We played with 10 men for 75 minutes against what was undoubtedly the best team in the league, a team that was ripping the Championship to shreds.

“They played such good positional football. It seemed every time Harry Wilson got the ball, he stepped inside on to his left foot and rifled it into the top corner. And Mitrovic, every time it hit his backside or his knee, it went in the bottom corner. It was one of those days when every time they attacked, they scored.

“So I don’t owe Marco anything. I think he is a very bright manager, he has a good team, talented players. This is a good test for us and Fulham will play a brand of football you do not often see in the Championship.

"We go there on the back of a good Boro performance – we got performance of the week from the LMA for that game – let’s see how good we are. It’s one thing beating Championship teams, let’s see how good we are against Premier League opposition where there is not really an expectation that we will go there and dominate.

"We have to go there and compete as best we can. Let’s see if we can give them problems in our best moments and also show the resilience you always need against a top team.”

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For all Fulham are enjoying a superb season and have threats all over the pitch, Mowbray knows that Sunderland have matchwinners of their own.

He says: "We need to be brave in possession and that is what we are trying to instil into them, to enjoy the football.

"We don’t have to play one touch every time, have a few touches, enjoy possession, pass to your teammates. Look we have some wonderful footballers, Amad, Roberts, who have both done extraordinary well down that side of the pitch, Clarke can slice through a defence like butter on his day, Ross Stewart is obviously talented.

"But we have to get the ball to these players so they can test their talent against a very good team.”