FA Cup third-round draw: Man Utd & Man City avoid Premier League opposition

A tie between Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool and an already eagerly anticipated meeting between North East rivals Sunderland and Newcastle United were the standout ties in the FA Cup third round draw.

Clubs across English football’s top two tiers join the competition for the first time this season and several Premier League clubs have been handed tricky assignments as they look to take a successful first step on the road to Wembley.

Liverpool’s visit to the Emirates Stadium will see the two giants meet in a tie between two clubs with 22 FA Cup Final wins between them and will come just two weeks after they face off in the Premier League. There were audible gaps when Newcastle were handed a short trip to local rivals Sunderland as the North East neighbours meet in the FA Cup for the first time since a quarter-final tie at St James Park in 1956.

Elsewhere, holders Manchester City will entertain Championship club Huddersfield Town and Manchester United will make a relatively short trip to Wigan Athletic. There are a number of all-Premier League clashes as Tottenham Hotspur host Burnley, Crystal Palace welcome Everton to Selhurst Park and Wolves visit Brentford.

The remaining non-league clubs have avoided Premier League opposition. National League North club Alfreton Town will visit Southampton if they can see off Walsall in a rearranged second round tie. Ramsgate will host Ipswich Town if they come through their visit to AFC Wimbledon and Maidstone United’s reward for their home win against Barrow is a home tie with either Stevenage or Port Vale. Two other non-league clubs could meet in the third round as Barnet and Eastleigh were paired in the draw ahead of their respective second round ties against Newport County and Reading.

All ties are set to take place on the weekend of 6th January 2024 and fixture dates will be confirmed once television broadcasters announce their selections for live coverage.

FA Cup Third Round draw in full: Luton Town v Bolton Wanderers, Shrewsbury Town v Wrexham or Yeovil Town, Arsenal v Liverpool, Stoke City v Brighton and Hove Albion, Norwich City v Crewe Alexandra or Bristol Rovers, West Ham United v Bristol City, Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley, Fulham v Rotherham United, West Bromwich Albion v Aldershot Town or Stockport County, Southampton v Alfreton Town or Walsall, AFC Wimbledon or Ramsgate v Ipswich Town, Peterborough United v Leeds United, Millwall v Leicester City, Watford v Chesterfield or Leyton Orient, Sunderland v Newcastle United, Sheffield Wednesday v Cardiff City, Crystal Palace v Everton, Middlesbrough v Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest v Blackpool or Forest Green Rovers, Wigan Athletic v Manchester United, Manchester City v Huddersfield Town, Blackburn Rovers v Cambridge United, Gillingham v Sheffield United, Swansea City v Morecambe, Chelsea v Preston North End, Queens Park Rangers v Bournemouth, Coventry City v Oxford United, Brentford v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Plymouth Argyle v Sutton United, Maidstone United v Stevenage or Port Vale, Newport County or Barnet v Eastleigh or Reading, Hull City v Birmingham City