The United States forward, who turned 24 yesterday, was involved in both Sunderland's goals, scored by Phil Bardsley and substitute Sebastian Larsson. Maya Yoshida’s first goal for Southampton was a mere late consolation.
"He thought about the team, so you have to give him credit," Poyet, the Sunderland head coach, said of Altidore. "He allowed Seb Larsson to score and there are not many people of that calibre in his situation. I know plenty and I played with plenty of strikers who in that situation would have had a shot.
"They don't care about anything but themselves, so I am very pleased for him. We need to be really happy with what he did for us. The more he contributes and the more we play, I will tell you the more chances he will get. Today was probably the first clear chance he has had, the header."
Poyet also had words of praise for defender Wes Brown, who made his first competitive start since January last year.
"When you have played in the Premier League for a team like Manchester United, it's always important to have him in there," Poyet said. "He reads the game well, he has experience. That class of player can give you something that others can't."
Sunderland will face one of Poyet’s former teams as a player, Chelsea, in the quarter-finals.
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