adminLONDON. — After a frantic festive period, English Premier League soccer 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 all-conquering 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 fourth-tier 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 and 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.
Fixtures (all 5pm unless otherwise stated)
Today: Barnsley v Middlesbrough, Blyth Spartans v Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic, Brentford v Brighton and Hove Albion, Cambridge United v Luton Town, Charlton Athletic v Blackburn Rovers, Derby County v Southport, Doncaster Rovers v Bristol City, Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Huddersfield Town v Reading, Leicester City v Newcastle United, Millwall v Bradford City, Preston North End v Norwich City, Rochdale v Nottingham Forest, Rotherham United v Bournemouth, Tranmere Rovers v Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion v Gateshead
Tomorrow: Arsenal v Hull City (7:30pm), Aston Villa v Blackpool, Chelsea v Watford (6pm), Dover Athletic v Crystal Palace (3pm), Manchester City v Sheffield Wednesday, Queens Park Rangers v Sheffield United (3pm), Southampton v Ipswich Town, Stoke City v Wrexham, Sunderland v Leeds United (3pm), Yeovil Town v Manchester United (5:30pm)
Monday: AFC Wimbledon v Liverpool (9:55pm), Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur (9:45pm)
Tuesday (9:45pm): Everton v West Ham United — AFP.
Online Reporter