Exeter City, who are 11th in League Two, will host Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the pick of the FA Cup third round ties following a draw that also paired Tottenham Hotspur with the Premier League leaders, Leicester City, and non-league Salford City with the Championship’s Derby County should the Northern League Premier Division club beat Hartlepool in a second-round replay.
The third round, which will be played across the weekend of January 8th to 11th, also pits Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, whose faltering Premier League title defence has so far featured eight defeats, against League Two Leyton Orient or Scunthorpe United at Stamford Bridge.
The Conference’s Eastleigh, the only non-league club confirmed in the third round, have a home tie against Bolton Wanderers, who are bottom of the Championship. Chris Todd, the Eastleigh manager, said: “We’ll be looking forward to the tie, it’s not too bad.”
Mark Jewell, the Eastleigh chief executive, said: “Everyone’s looking for the Arsenal away but it is good for the club taking on a Championship team. We did well in a previous round against Crewe [winning 1-0], a League One club, so let’s see if we can get into the fourth round.”
Arsenal, the holders for the past two years and 12-times winners of the Cup, welcome Sunderland to the Emirates Stadium in a repeat of Saturday’s Premier League meeting in north London, in which Arsene Wenger’s side managed an unconvincing 3-1 victory.
Whitehawk of the National League South have the incentive of a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton if they can beat Dagenham and Redbridge in their second round replay.
Steve King, the Whitehawk manager, who was present at the draw in Cardiff, said: “I wanted the Reds [Liverpool]but I got the Blues. It’s a tough, tough game and Dagenham are going to fancy their chances too. It’s a massive carrot for whoever wins through.”
Asked whether the prospect of facing Roberto Martinez’s side at what should be a packed Goodison will increase the pressure on his players or inspire them, King said: “I think it inspires. I think everybody is going to want to play in that game. It’s 50-50, the best team on the day to see who gets through [when playing Dagenham] but its going to be a tough game.”
Manchester United, whose tally of 11 Cup triumphs is second only to Arsenal’s but who have not won the trophy since 2004, take on Sheffield United. Their crosstown rivals, Manchester City, travel to Norwich City while struggling Swansea City face a potentially tricky trip to Oxford United, who are currently top of League Two.
Aston Villa, currently bottom of the Premier League after a harrowing season which has seen the side fail to win in the league since the opening day, run the risk of further misery after being drawn to face League Two side Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park.
“I’m really happy,” said the Wanderers manager, Gareth Ainsworth. “The boys deserve their chance to have a shot at Premier League opposition.”
Newport County, who play in League Two, have a home tie against the Championship’s Blackburn Rovers, the club having recently appointed Paul Lambert as the manager.
Gavin Foxall, the Newport chief executive, said: “We’re happy with that. Hopefully we’ll get a bumper crowd over Rodney Parade and we look forward to welcoming Blackburn.”
The ties will be played between January 8 and 11.
FA Cup third round draw
Watford v Newcastle
West Brom v Bristol City
West Ham v Wolves
Salford or Hartlepool v Derby
Exeter v Liverpool
Tottenham v Leicester
Colchester v Charlton
Peterborough v Preston
Northampton v MK Dons
Arsenal v Sunderland
Newport v Blackburn
Ipswich v Portsmouth
Birmingham v Bournemouth
Wycombe v Aston Villa
Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham
Oxford v Swansea
Brentford v Chesterfield or Walsall
Bury v Bradford
Manchester United v Sheffield United
Everton v Dagenham or Whitehawk
Southampton v Crystal Palace
Eastleigh v Bolton
Nottingham Forest v QPR
Carlisle v Yeovil
Chelsea v Leyton Orient or Scunthorpe
Doncaster v Stoke
Leeds v Rotherham
Cardiff v Grimsby or Shrewsbury
Huddersfield v Reading
Middlesbrough v Burnley
Norwich v Manchester City
Hull v Brighton
(Guardian Service)
