FA Cup brims over with third-round

After a frantic festive period, Premier League clubs enter the FA Cup this weekend in a third-round programme thick with historical resonance.

Improbably, the very first tie out of the hat in December s draw, which took place in Hull, was a rematch of last season s final between Arsenal and Hull City. Hull manager Steve Bruce, whose side lost 3-2 at Wembley last May, described the coincidence as "amazing", and it was to prove the first of no fewer than four final repeats.

Sunderland host Leeds United in a repeat of the 1973 final, when Don Revie s allconquering Leeds were beaten 1-0 by second-tier Sunderland in a match remembered for a stunning double-save by Jimmy Montgomery. At Turf Moor, Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur will face off in a remake of the 1962 final, which Spurs won 3-1 after a cagey encounter to defend the trophy they had lifted as part of the Double 12 months previously.

Liverpool travel to fourthtier AFC Wimbledon in a tie that will rekindle memories of the 1988 final, when the original Wimbledon stunned the newly crowned league champions 1-0 in one of the competition s biggest upsets.

Wimbledon, dubbed the Crazy Gang , subsequently left south-west London and became the Milton Keynes Dons due to falling attendances and an inability to build a new stadium, with AFC Wimbledon formed by fans opposed to the move. "It is one of the most important milestones in our development -- from finally getting out of the Ryman Premier League to getting the rights to our stadium," said Wimbledon chief executive Erik Samuelson.

"To be playing against a Premier League team for the first time -- it has to be up there with them."

One of the most evocative ties of the round takes place on Sunday when third-division Yeovil Town welcome 11-time cup-winners Manchester United to Huish Park.