Man United and Liverpool to clash in FA Cup fourth round
January 11, 2021 19:54 MYT
Manchester United will host bitter rivals and Premier League champions Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
United edged past Championship side Watford in the third round as the Reds cruised past a much-changed Aston Villa, who had to field a squad made up entirely of youth players amid a coronavirus outbreak.
While Liverpool have re-established themselves as the standard-bearers in the Premier League in recent years, they are looking to end a lengthy drought in the FA Cup.
The Reds have not won the competition since 2005-06 when they beat West Ham on penalties, with their most-recent final appearance in 2012 a 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.
If they are to finally end that wait, they will have to get one over their old nemesis in United, who this season appear to be rising to the challenge set by Liverpool in the Premier League.
United last won the FA Cup in 2015-16 and were beaten by Chelsea in the showpiece two years later – only Arsenal (14) have won the competition more than the Red Devils (12).
Whoever progresses will face either non-league side Stockport County, West Ham or Doncaster Rovers in the fifth round.
Another of the favourites, Manchester City, will expect to cruise through the next couple of rounds given they go to League Two's Cheltenham Town first and then face Swansea City or Nottingham Forest if they avoid a fourth-round shock.
The lowest-ranked side in the draw, sixth-tier Chorley Town, host Wolves, while Tottenham go to Wycombe Wanderers and Chelsea welcome Luton Town to Stamford Bridge.
3 - Man Utd have won three of their last four home FA Cup ties against Liverpool, with current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scoring the winner in their meeting back in 1999 (2-1). Prestigious. #EmiratesFACup
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2021
FA Cup fourth-round draw in full:
Cheltenham Town v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Crawley Town
Swansea City v Nottingham Forest
Manchester United v Liverpool
Southampton/Shrewsbury Town v Arsenal
Barnsley v Norwich City
Chorley Town v Wolves
Millwall v Bristol City
Brighton and Hove Albion v Blackpool
Wycombe Wanderers v Tottenham
Fulham v Burnley
Sheffield United v Plymouth Argyle
Chelsea v Luton Town
Stockport County/West Ham v Doncaster Rovers
Brentford v Leicester City
Everton v Sheffield Wednesday
Full FA Cup fifth-round draw:
Fulham/Burnley v Bournemouth/Crawley Town
Manchester United/Liverpool v Stockport County/West Ham or Doncaster
Barnsley/Norwich City v Chelsea/Luton Town
Everton/Sheffield Wednesday v Wycombe Wanderers/Tottenham
Swansea City/Nottingham Forest v Cheltenham Town/Manchester City
Brentford/Leicester City v Brighton and Hove Albion/Blackpool
1 - Cheltenham Town and Man City will meet in a competitive fixture for the very first time, while the Robins have lost all four of their previous FA Cup ties versus top-flight teams. Task. #EmiratesFACup
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 11, 2021
FA Cup fifth-round draw in full:
Fulham/Burnley v Bournemouth/Crawley Town
Manchester United/Liverpool v Stockport County/West Ham or Doncaster
Barnsley/Norwich City v Chelsea/Luton Town
Everton/Sheffield Wednesday v Wycombe Wanderers/Tottenham
Swansea City/Nottingham Forest v Cheltenham Town/Manchester City
Brentford/Leicester City v Brighton and Hove Albion/Blackpool
Sheffield United or Plymouth Argyle v Millwall or Bristol City
Chorley or Wolves v Southampton or Shrewsbury Town or Arsenal