"We will fight, we will scrap" - Oldham's warning to Walsall tonight

Saddlers head coach Mat Sadler played under Oldham boss Micky Mellon when they were both together at Shrewsbury Town a decade ago.

And while the apprentice will be looking to get on over on the master, it is Mellon's newly-promoted Oldham who will be looking to give Sadler's League Two high-flyers a bloodied nose.

"It will be the same message again: We will fight, we will scrap and we will do all that kind of stuff," warned Mellon following his side's FA Cup exit at the hands of MK Dons on Saturday.

Oldham certainly know about scrapping, having gone through a 46-game National League season before winning three play-off rounds to earn promotion - the last after extra-time against Southend United at Wembley on June 1.

That gave most of League Two four weeks' headstart on the Latics, though Walsall only had an extra five days after their own Wembley trip ended in disappointment at the hands of AFC Wimbledon on May 26.

They have been competitive, unbeaten at home in the league since August, and sit 16th in the table - but Mellon wants more to see quality to natch his side's endeavour.

"We have to ramp up the quality with the ball, show more composure," he told the Oldham Times after the Dons defeat. "If you want to use them as a benchmark today, you have to get up to that level.”

Oldham made four personnel changes and a formation switch for the FA Cup match, so could line up with either a back four or a back three.

Whichever they choose, former Saddler Manny Monthe is likely to be a part of it. Monthe made 93 appearances for Walsall between 2021 and 2023.