IT’S A CRACKER
Merseyside derby tops magic FA Cup draw
LiverpooL and everton will clash in the FA Cup third round for the first time since 1932 after a draw last night that was full of intriguing ties.
The Merseyside rivals meet at Anfield in the premier League on Sunday and that will again be the venue when they face each other in the first weekend of January.
it adds further spice to last week’s arrival of new everton manager Sam Allardyce. Liverpool won 2-1 the last time the teams met at this stage, but have never beaten everton at Anfield in the competition.
More recently they met in the 2012 semi-final when second-half goals from Liverpool’s Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll reversed Nikica Jelavic’s opener. Both sides have a rich FA Cup
From Back Page history, Liverpool having won the trophy seven times, Everton five.
Of the Premier League’s other top-six clubs, leaders Manchester City host Burnley, Chelsea are away at Norwich City, Manchester United face Derby County at Old Trafford, Tottenham host AFC Wimbledon and holders Arsenal travel to Nottingham Forest.
Jermaine Jenas — who was drawing the away teams alongside Glenn Hoddle — apologised after handing Forest, one of his former clubs, such a difficult tie.
And AFC Wimbledon will make that trip to Wembley to face Spurs 30 years on from the original Wimbledon side’s victory over Liverpool in the FA Cup final.
Former Newcastle midfielder Rob Lee celebrated his ‘dream draw’ after sons Olly and Elliot were handed a trip to St James’ Park with Luton Town. Lee Snr was in the crowd at Gateshead on Sunday when both his boys scored in a 5-0 second-round victory for Luton.
Rob told Sportsmail: ‘The first ball out was Newcastle. Then they said, “And they will face the League Two leaders”. I thought, “Hold on, that’s Luton!”.
‘It’s a dream draw. Olly is a Newcastle fan and has dreamed of playing there. Both of them saw me at St James’ and Elliot has played there twice. They appreciate what an unbelievable club Newcastle is and to go and watch them on the pitch where I played, I will be immensely proud. Who do I want to win? My boys, of course.’
Joe Hart will return to boyhood club Shrewsbury with West Ham. Hart made 58 appearances for the Shropshire side from 2003 to 2006.
There is also the renewal of the fierce rivalry between Brighton and Crystal Palace, while Middlesbrough and Sunderland will clash at the Riverside Stadium.
There remains a chance that this will be the first third round without a non-League team since 1925. Seventh-tier Hereford — the club formed in 2014 following the demise of old FA Cup giantkillers Hereford United — must first negotiate a home replay against League One Fleetwood Town if they are to entertain top-flight Leicester City.
And Woking and AFC Fylde must also overcome replays if they are to earn trips to Aston Villa and Bournemouth respectively.