Dean Keates hoping Walsall win sets up lucrative cup clash

The Saddlers take on League Two opposition for the second consecutive round, with the chance to go into the hat with the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United joining the competition.

And Keates knows how important a draw like that would be for the club.

“The so-called bigger teams of the Premier League come in next for the next round," he said.

"We didn’t get one this time, we got Macclesfield and it is going to be a difficult game.

“But they will be saying the same things. They will want to get through because you never know what will happen next time you go into the hat – you could get one of the big hitters.

“All being well it’ll be us. And we’ll then get a decent draw because that’s good for the club.”

Josh Ginnelly (groin) and Morgan Ferrier (hamstring) picked up knocks during Saturday’s 2-1 win at Rochdale, which may force Keates to shuffle his pack against the Silkmen.

“We are in a good place, but we have to go again on Tuesday night,” said the boss. “It’s going to be a difficult game.

“There are one or two walking wounded so maybe one or two might come in and they have got to stake their claim.

“Macclesfield are going to really test us.”

Keates is particularly wary of Macclesfield because of how well he knows their Birmingham-born boss Mark Yates, playing alongside him at Kidderminster Harriers in 2004.

And they were in opposite dugouts last season when Keates was at Wrexham and Yates at Solihull Moors in the National League.

“I know Yatesy really well,” said Keates. “I played with him. I know what he is like as a character.

“I played against his team last season at Solihull.

“And from when he went in, the form they showed was play-off form.

“They went from being certains going down to end up finishing in mid-table.

“It’s going to be a very tough game for us. And it’s something we need to prepare right for.”

But will there be any advantage from Keates knowing his opposite number so well?

“Not always,” he said. “He has gone into a new football club. It’s a different squad of players that he has inherited.

“A lot of them were already there when he arrived so he may have had to tweak one or two things to how he operates.

“We have had people watching them over the last couple of games and we’ll go out there and do our best.”