A first Tyne-Wear derby since 2016 and the first time Sunderland have been pulled out to play Newcastle in the FA Cup since beating them in a quarter-final in 1956 was the pick of the third-round draw for the 2023-24 tournament. Eddie Howe’s side, fifth in the Premier League, will travel to the Stadium of Light to take on their Championship neighbours over the weekend of Jan 5-8.

Arsenal, who have won the Cup a record 14 times, take on Liverpool at Emirates Stadium to bring back memories of the Double in 1971 and Michael Owen’s phenomenal late heist 30 years later. 

Holders Manchester City face Huddersfield Town, a team they beat 10-1 back when both were second tier sides in 1987, while last season’s runners-up Manchester United take on 2013 winners Wigan Athletic from League One.

In the three other all-Premier League ties, Tottenham Hotspur will host Burnley, Crystal Palace are at home to Everton and Brentford face Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The five best FA Cup third-round ties

By Chris Bascombe, Luke Edwards, James Ducker and Jon West

‌Sunderland v Newcastle

There is not a more ferocious or intense rivalry in English football than Newcastle and Sunderland, which is why the first meeting between the two North East clubs since 2016 has caused such a ripple of excitement.

The only people who will not be thrilled about the two old foes meeting again will be Northumbria Police as the fixture has a long history of crowd trouble. The fact the two teams have not played each other in the FA Cup for 67 years makes it even more intriguing.

Sunderland have not had much to celebrate in recent years but the six derby clashes they won in a row before a 1-1 draw in March 2016 was a cause of much boasting on Wearside.

The two clubs appear to be on completely different trajectories since Newcastle were bought by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Fund back in October 2021, with Newcastle playing in the Champions League this season whereas the Black Cats are mid-table in the Championship. But this still promises to offer everything the FA Cup wants from a third round tie.‌

Arsenal v Liverpool

Think Charlie George winning the Double, or Michael Owen snatching an unlikely win to help Liverpool to the 2001 cup treble. Whenever Arsenal and Liverpool meet in the FA Cup, the winning captain often ends up lifting the trophy.

Jürgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta will not thank those who paired them together, though. There is potential for an epic series of games between the clubs given the proximity of the Premier League meetings at Anfield and the Emirates on December 23 and February 3 respectively, especially if this goes to a replay. That said, you can expect much changed line-ups. The broadcasters will snap this one up, but circumstances might dictate that what looks like a classic encounter on paper may become one of the most glamorous reserve games of the season given their priorities are elsewhere.

Wigan Athletic v Manchester United

Wigan are managed by their former player Shaun Maloney, who scored one of the most memorable goals in the club’s history when his strike sunk United 1-0 in 2012 and, in doing so, played a crucial role in Sir Alex Ferguson’s side losing the Premier League title won on goal difference by Manchester City.

Manchester City v Huddersfield Town

Huddersfield managed to hold Pep Guardiola’s City to a 0-0 draw in their previous meeting in the FA Cup in 2017 only to be thumped 5-1 in a fifth round replay – but not before Harry Bunn had given City a huge fright by opening the scoring after just seven minutes when his shot sailed through Claudio Bravo’s legs.

Crystal Palace v Everton

Can Crystal Palace finally go on to win a major trophy? Or will the sense of injustice Everton feel at being deducted points propel them all the way to Wembley? Neither are likely but certainly not impossible.

Palace, beaten finalists in 2016, are one of the game’s great underachievers: a huge catchment area but nothing by way of silverware. Surely this season, which may be Roy Hodgson’s last, presents as good an opportunity as any to end that.

League survival is Everton’s top priority of course and this may prove significant: it is the Premier League they wish to prove a point to, not the FA.

FA Cup third-round draw: as it happened

The 32 ties in full

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

Ties to be played over the weekend of Jan 5-8

Four all Premier League ties

Crystal Palace vs Everton

Tottenham Hotspur vs Burnley

Arsenal vs Liverpool

Brentford vs Wolves

Which matches will be on TV?

BBC and ITV share coverage. ITV has first pick and fourth pick of matches in the second round, fourth round and the quarter-finals, as well as second and third picks for the first, third and fifth rounds and second pick of the semi-finals. 

So the BBC has a choice between a Tyne-Wear derby or Arsenal vs Liverpool. Hopefully Alan Shearer will weigh in on that decision. 

Sunderland's reaction

The pick of the round

Is surely Sunderland vs Newcastle for their first meeting since 2016. Interestingly Sunderland have won 53 and lost 53 of their previous matches, drawing 49. They haven’t played each other in the Cup since 1956 when Sunderland won 2-0 in the quarter-final at St James’. 

Tie 32

Hull City vs Birmingham

Tie 31

Newport or Barnet vs Eastleigh or Reading (who play today)

Tie 30

Maidstone United vs Stevenage

Tie 29

Plymouth Argyle vs Sutton United

Tie 28

Brentford vs Wolves

Tie 27

Coventry City vs Oxford Utd

Tie 26

QPR vs Bournemouth

Tie 25

Chelsea vs Preston 

Tie 24

Swansea vs Morecambe

Tie 23

Gillingham vs Sheffield Utd

Tie 22

Blackburn Rovers vs Cambridge Utd

Tie 21

Man City vs Huddersfield

Tie 20

Wigan vs Manchester Utd

Tie 19

Nottm Forest vs Blackpool or Forest Green

Tie 18

Middlesbrough vs Aston villa

Tie 17

Crystal Palace vs Everton

Tie 16

Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City

Tie 15

Sunderland vs Newcastle United

!!!!

Tie 14

Watford vs Chesterfield vs Orient (who play today)

Tie 13

Millwall vs Leicester City

Tie 12

Peterborough United vs Leeds United

Tie 11

AFC Wimbledon or Ramsgate vs Ipswich Town

Tie 10

Southampton vs Alfreton or Walsall

Tie 9

West Brom vs Aldershot or Stockport (who play today)

Tie 8

Fulham vs Rotherham United

Tie 7

Tottenham vs Burnley

Tie 6

West Ham vs Bristol City

Tie 5

Norwich City vs Crew or Bristol Rovers

Tie 4

Stoke City vs Brighton

Tie 3

Arsenal vs Liverpool

!

Tie 2

Shrewsbury vs Wrexham or Yeovil (who play today)

Tie 1

Luton Town vs Bolton

The balls go into the bowl

And we await the first tie. 

I will post them individually. 

Here we go

Seema Jaswal presides over the draw with one half to be selected by Evertonian Trevor Steven, the other by Arsenal’s Jen Beattie. 

ITV's coverage has begun

They’re at Eastleigh vs Reading, where it’s taters – you can tell by Ian Wright’s voluminous but presumably superbly cosy coat:

The match kicks off at 1.30pm and the draw will precede it at some as yet unspecified time. 

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Draw numbers

Preview: Hope springs

Good afternoon. Hope springs eternal on the day of the FA Cup third round draw for supporters of the 44 Premier League and Championship clubs and the survivors from the preliminary and first two ‘proper’ rounds who have made it this far, even if some still have replays or postponed ties to get through. No matter, though, so long as your name is in the hat*, you can, as the late Terry Venables, a winner in 1967 on the field and 1991 on those old open Wembley red benches, sang, ripping off Elvis’s civil rights classic to turn it into something far more parochial, “dream”.

Well, when I say dream, I mean you can if you’re a fan of Manchester City, United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea who have won 25 of the last 28, and not even then if you, as a trophy snob, approach it as something like an inconvenience until the semi-finals. Too many middle-of-the-road Premier League and top Championship clubs have adopted a contemptuous and lily-livered approach to the competition and their managers bang on about the league being their bread and butter and being unable to afford the luxury of a Cup-run distraction. But surely a distraction is a good thing – the poor man’s version of sunning themselves in the Caribbean, away from the everyday struggle to survive? The Cup should matter to potential champions, also-rans and all those on skid row precisely because it does not matter and offers a rare chance to play without a millstone around their necks. Respect the Cup and people will respect you.

*There is no hat

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