BRAZILIAN centre-half Emerson Thome admitted last night: "It would be beautiful to win the FA Cup with Sunderland."

But the 28-year-old defender knows that to stand any chance of fulfilling his dream he will have to keep a tight grip this afternoon on his former Sheffield Wednesday team-mate, Paulo Di Canio, in the tough fifth round tie against West Ham at the Stadium of Light.

Thome helped Benfica win the Portugese Cup and last season could only watch from the wings, having been cup-tied at Hillsborough, as Chelsea lifted the trophy by beating Aston Villa 1-0 at Wembley.

Thome wants to make up for the frustration of being a by-stander as his team-mates were showered in FA Cup glory by going all the way with the club he joined this season in a record £4.5m deal.

But he knows that he is going to have to keep close tabs on the Italian star, who has become a firm favourite at Upton Park since he turned his back on his controversial days at Sheffield Wednesday, where he gained notoriety for pushing down referee Paul Allcock.

"I knew him quite well as a professional footballer at Sheffield Wednesday," said Thome.

"He is a skilful, talented footballer - a good pro -- who is one of the best strikers in the Premiership.

"He has demonstrated his skills in Italy, Scotland and now England.

"He is undoubtedly a very gifted player who is unpredictable.

"The main thing is that you must maintain your concentration against him.

"I know that in the Cup tie I will have to use all my strengths as a player to stop him."

But Thome is not daunted by the task of keeping tabs on Di Canio, West Ham's joint leading scorer with Frederic Kanoute, who has also scored ten goals this season.

He said: "You have to be prepared to play against the best players in England. Paulo is one of the best and I am excited to be playing against him."

Thome is pleased to have shaken off the troublesome calf injury which has forced him to miss the last three games, though he did make a very brief appearance as substitute against Manchester United.

He said: "Last season after playing for Sheffield Wednesday against Bristol City I was cup-tied after moving to Chelsea and it was a very frustrating time for me.

"The rest of the players tried to make me feel part of the club's success in the Cup, but it was not the same.

"Now I'm pleased to be involved in the FA Cup again with Sunderland."

He added: "While I was at Benfica we won the Portugese Cup but the competition there is not as important as the FA Cup, which has far more historical importance.

"When you look how Premiership clubs have been drawn together the winners of our tie against West Ham must have a great chance of going right through.

"We are missing a few players but whoever comes in I am sure will do their jobs and I hope it will be a cracking game."

Thome has no doubt about the importance of the competition in the eyes of his fellow professional footballers.

He said: "People go on about how the FA Cup is one of the most intensive competitions in Europe and I agree with them.

"I don't think that winning the Cup means as much in any other country in Europe as it does here.

"It would be beautiful to win the FA Cup with Sunderland. It would be a really great thing to do.