Liverpool all out for revenge

The FA Cup is back this weekend with ties from the fourth round.

The top attraction will be played this afternoon when Liverpool host rivals Manchester United looking for revenge following last year’s 1-0 upset to the Red Devils.

The two sides have already met in the championship this season at Anfield.

In October, United salvaged a 1-1 draw after a Javier Hernandez late goal cancelled out Steven Gerrard’s opener.

Past results favour United. They won nine of the 12 meetings with Liverpool in the FA Cup. Yet, in a fifth-round tie in 2006, seven-time cup winners Liverpool chalked up their first win the competition over United in 85 years via a single Peter Crouch goal at Anfield.

The remaining scores read:

1998-99: (fourth round) United-Liverpool 2-1.

1995-96: (final, Wembley) United-Liverpool 1-0.

1984-85: (semi-final, Goodison Park) United-Liverpool 2-2; United won replay at Maine Road 2-1.

1978-79: (semi-final, Maine Road) United-Liverpool 2-2; United won replay at Goodison Park 1-0.

1976-77: (final, Wembley) United-Liverpool 2-1.

1959-60: (fourth round) Liverpool-United 1-3.

1947-48: (fourth round, Goodison Park Liverpool-United 0-3.

1920-21: (first round) United-Liverpool 1-1; Liverpool won replay 2-1.

1902-03: (first round) United-Liverpool 2-1.

1897-98: (second round) United-Liverpool 0-0; Liverpool won replay 2-1.

The tie carries extra rivalry this time around in the aftermath of the racial spat involving Patrice Evra and Luis Suarez that had the latter banned for eight matches.

The Uruguayan will be available for the Premier League return match at Old Trafford on February 11.

In midweek, Liverpool held Manchester City to a 2-2 draw to move into the League Cup final 3-2 on aggregate.

There are four other all-Premiership ties in programme in the fifth round.

At Loftus Road, Queens Park Rangers clash against Chelsea in another needle match and Bolton take on Swansea at the Reebok Stadium. West Brom play Norwich at the Hawthorns and tomorrow Arsenal cross swords with Aston Villa at the Emirates.

Chelsea are still striving to find their actual form after their latest 0-0 draw at Norwich where they missed a catalogue of chances.

Meanwhile, Chelsea skipper John Terry will make a first return to Loftus Road since he was accused of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, a matter which has become the subject of a criminal case.

Owen Coyle’s Bolton were buoyed by their home 3-1 win over Liverpool that saw the Trotters emerge from the drop zone.

On the other hand, Swansea, following three victories on the trot, lost 0-2 at rejuvenated Sunderland.

Norwich are undefeated in their last five outings in the league and cup, gathering eight points from a maximum of 12 while West Brom registered one of the finest wins of the season, beating Stoke City 2-1 away.

Arsenal travel to Villa Park looking to end a three-match losing streak. Last weekend, the North London club suffered another setback when they lost to Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.

Villa’s move to sign striker Robbie Keane on a loan period started to pay dividends. He scored two of the three goals in the away win at Wolves.

Elsewhere, Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill is looking forward to his first North East derby at the Stadium of Light against Middlesbrough.

O’Neill will be keen to extend his team’s excellent form of late and progress to the fifth round at the expense of their neighbours.

Paolo di Canio, who drew the plaudits after leading Swindon Town past Wigan in the previous round, travel to the Walkers Sta-dium to face Leicester, now under the guidance of Nigel Pearson following the depature of Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Newcastle, having struggled in the Premier League last week following a 5-2 drubbing at Fulham, will be by the seaside this evening to freshen up at Brighton.

Fixtures and forecast

Fa Cup 4th Round

Blackpool-Sheffield Wed. - 1
Bolton-Swansea City - X
Brighton-Newcastle (18:15)-2
Derby-Stoke City - X
Hull-Crawley Town - 1
Leicester-Swindon - X
Liverpool-Man. United (13:45) - 1
Millwall-Southampton - 2
QPR-Chelsea (13:00) - 2
Sheffield Utd-Birmingham - X
Stevenage-Notts County - X
West Brom-Norwich City - X

Tomorrow:

Arsenal-Aston Villa (17:00) - X
Sunderland-M’boro (14:30)- 1

The Championship

Peterborough-Portsmouth - 1
Reading-Bristol City - 1

League One

Brentford-Wycombe - 1
Exeter-Charlton - 2
Hartlepool-Carlisle - X
Leyton Orient-Colchester - 1
Rochdale-Bury - X
Tranmere-Huddersfield - 2
Yeovil-Preston -X

League Two

Acc. Stanley-Gillingham - X
AFC Wimbledon-Aldershot - 1
Barnet-Crewe - X 
Bristol Rovers-Bradford - 1
Dagenham-Rotherham - X
Hereford-Shrewsbury (14:00) - 2
Macclesfield-Cheltenham - 2
Port Vale-Plymouth - 1
Torquay-Northampton - 1

Tomorrow:

Burton Albion-Oxford (16:00) - X

Hot Four

Reading, Brentford, Port Vale, Hull.