LONDON –Arsenal begin the defence of their FA Cup title this weekend as the big guns join the competition for the third round.
LONDON –Arsenal begin the defence of their FA Cup title this weekend as the big guns join the competition for the third round.
Arsene Wenger’s side, who won the trophy at Wembley by beating Hull City last May, take on the same club again on Sunday.
Wenger said Lukas Podolski, who has been linked with a move to Inter Milan, is unlikely to play against Hull.
"I will make a few changes, that’s for sure, but he has not practised for a few days - since our game at West Ham because of a tight groin,” he said. "So I don’t think he will be available for Sunday.”
Premier League leaders Chelsea, the bookmakers’ favourites to win the Cup, host Championship side Watford.
Manager Jose Mourinho is likely to rotate his side but all the big names are wary of slipping up and going out of the competition first time up.
Watford are managed by former Chelsea player, Slavisa Jokanovic, and the visitors believe they can cause what would be a massive upset. "We have won the last three games away, which is good for our confidence,” Jokanovic said.
"It is going to be a nice day for us and the FA Cup spirit is that you always believe you can win a one-off game.
"We will be playing one of the best teams in Europe. We need to have a really good day and for Chelsea not to.”
Manchester City take on Sheffield Wednesday, a match that will see Yaya Toure play his last match before heading off to the African Cup of Nations.
City manager Manuel Pellegrini said the form of Frank Lampard, who has extended his loan spell until the end of the season, meant City could cope with Toure’s absence.
"One of the reasons we asked him to play here was because we knew Yaya would be leaving us to go to the African Cup of Nations,” Pellegrini said.
Manchester United travel to Yeovil, having drawn their last three games, a record manager Louis van Gaal knows is not good enough.
"When you want to win the league you have to win away from home, and at the minute we aren’t doing that,” he said.
"We aren’t losing, but we aren’t winning either. If you want to be a champion, you have to win these games.”
Liverpool travel to AFC Wimbledon in what will be a repeat of the 1988 final, famously won by Wimbledon.
With Steven Gerrard having confirmed that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, Liverpool are desperate for him to go out on a high.
Among the other third-round ties to catch the eye include non-league Dover taking on Crystal Palace.
There are three all-Premier League ties, with Tottenham travelling to Burnley and Leicester taking on Newcastle.
Agencies
Saturday
Derby County vs Southport 5pm
Bolton vs Wigan
Blyth Spartans vs Birmingham City
Brentford vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Charlton Athletic vs Blackburn Rovers
Fulham vs Wolves
Doncaster Rovers vs Bristol City
Huddersfield Town vs Reading John
Rochdale vs Nottingham Forest
Cambridge Utd vs Luton Town
Millwall vs Bradford City
Leicester City vs Newcastle
West Brom vs Gateshead
Barnsley vs Middlesbrough
Tranmere Rovers vs Swansea City
Rotherham United vs Bournemouth
Preston North End vs Norwich City
Sunday
Dover Athletic vs Crystal Palace 3pm
Sunderland vs Leeds United
QPR vs Sheffield Utd
Aston Villa vs Blackpool 5pm
Man City vs Sheffield Wed
Stoke City vs Wrexham
Southampton vs Ipswich Town
Yeovil Town vs Man United 5:30pm
Chelsea vs Watford 6pm
Arsenal vs Hull City 7:30pm
Monday
Burnley vs Tottenham 9:45pm
AFC Wimbledon vs Liverpool 10pm
Tuesday
Everton vs West Ham9:45pm