Alan Tate says that facing former Liverpool man Jermaine Penant holds no fear for him

Swansea City's vice captain will be up against the winger on Saturday when they travel to Fratton Park to take on holders Portsmouth in the FA Cup.

It could have been so different for Penant who looked at one stage to be set to join Real Madrid with Italian giants AC Milan also waiting supposedly in the wings but it will be on the South Coast that he makes his Pompey debut.

And that isn't something that worries Tate who told the Evening Post that he was up for the challenge "It will be a test for me if that's the way it turns out

"You want to test yourself against the best players and Jermaine Pennant has been linked with Real Madrid and AC Milan, so that tells you he's pretty handy.

"But that's the kind of challenge you want as a player and I'm desperate to be involved this weekend.

"I'm sure all the lads are.

"They have lost Defoe and Diarra this month, but they still look a really good team

"As well as Pennant, they have top players like Sol Campbell, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar, and then there's the England No. 1 in goal.

"They are established Premier League stars and facing them is going to be a real examination."

And Tate remembers all too well the last time the Swans came up against Premier League opposition in this competition - they triumphed 3-0 at Bramall Lane two years ago

"That was a good day for everyone at the club

"I remember it being pretty tight up to half-time, but Tom (Butler) got a couple and then won the penalty which Leon (Britton) scored to seal it.

"We were missing people like Lee Trundle and Andy Robinson, so it was a great win for us.

"I'd say 3-0 might have been a bit flattering, but we were definitely the better side.

"We hope we can do something similar this weekend, but it won't be the same kind of story.

"Portsmouth have a team packed with athletes and they'll be more physical than Sheffield United were.

"But saying that, I don't see why we can't win it.

"If Nottingham Forest can go to Manchester City and win like they did in the last round, we've got to believe that we can do the same at Portsmouth."

And will the vice captain play on Saturday? "You can't second guess the gaffer," says Tate, "because he's good at not giving things away.

"I hope he will keep the same back four, but he may make changes with the Preston game next Tuesday in mind."

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