After a hectic Yuletide Premier League schedule, the FA Cup takes centre-stage in England over the next three days when the third round ties from the knock-out competition are played.
The weekend programme will be highlighted by four matches involving Premier League ties, as Queen’s Park Rangers host West Bromwich Albion, Southampton face holders Chelsea, Man-chester United travel to West Ham and Arsenal play away at Swansea City.
QPR head into today’s cup tie against West Brom on cloud nine after their stunning 1-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
West Brom hold the upper-hand over QPR this season as in the two league meetings the Baggies achieved a double after a 3-2 win at the Hawthorns and a 2-1 victory in London.
Chelsea travel to St Mary’s Stadium looking to put behind them the shocking upset to QPR on Wednesday but they face another difficult task as South-ampton are unbeaten in their last five league matches.
In their last outing, the Saints deserved better than a 1-1 draw with Arsenal in front of their fans.
Manchester United, the league leaders, beat West Ham 1-0 at Old Trafford this season.
Alex Ferguson has been buoyed by a composed defence with the returning Nemanja Vidic at its core as United maintained their stance at the top of the standings with a 4-0 win at Wigan on New Year’s Day.
On Monday, Ferguson celebrated his 71st birthday but he vowed to carry on as his team start 2013 with the kind of lead that no club in the history of the Premier League has ever surrendered
In the other all-Premiership duel at the Liberty Stadium, Swan-sea will be looking to make it a double over Arsenal after beating the Gunners 2-0 in the league at the Emirates, last month.
The non-leaguers
The non-league sides still left in the tournament are three − two hail from the Conference and one from the Ryman League.
Hastings United, of the Ryman League, face an uphill struggle at Championship promotion seekers Middlesbrough this afternoon.
East Sussex outfit Hastings were Football League members until 1984 when they folded due to financial problems.
Before this season, Hastings’ only other time to play in the first round proper of the FA Cup was in 2002 when they got beaten away 1-0 by Stevenage.
Cardiff City, the leading team in The Championship, face Conference side Macclesfield Town at Moss Rose. It was only last year that Macclesfield dropped out of the Football League.
Romantics will also hope to see Mansfield Town earn a place in cup history when the team from the fifth-tier Conference host last season’s beaten finalists Liverpool tomorrow.
“I have never been to the third round of the FA Cup and not many players get the opportunity to play against Liverpool, so this is extra-special,” goalkeeper Alan Marriott was reported as saying in the UK media this week.
Meanwhile, one of the favourites to lift the trophy, Tottenham Hotspur, entertain Coventry in a repeat of the 1987 FA final when the Sky Blues surprised the Londoners to win the silverware 3-2 after extra-time.
Coventry, managed by Mark Robins, have now fallen into the League One doldrums. In the previous round they beat More-cambe 2-1 at home.
In all-Championship clashes, Leeds United take on Birmingham City at Elland Road this afternoon as Blackburn Rovers, who played in the Premier League last year, clash with Bristol City at Ewood Park.
Meanwhile, with no World Cup and European Championship next summer the Scottish Premier League will be observing a short two-weekend winter break, starting today.
The winter break in the SPL is back for the first time since 2002/03.
Fixtures and forecast
FA Cup third round
Aldershot-Rotherham - 2
Aston Villa-Ipswich Town - 1
Barnsley-Burnley - X
Blackburn-Bristol City - 1
Bolton-Sunderland - X
Brighton-Newcastle (13:30) - X
Charlton-Huddersfield - 1
Crawley Town-Reading - X
Crystal Palace-Stoke - 2
Derby-Tranmere - 1
Fulham-Blackpool - 1
Hull-Leyton Orient - 1
Leeds-Birmingham - 1
Leicester-Burton - 1
Luton-Wolves - 2
Macclesfield-Cardiff - 1
Manchester City-Watford - 1
Middlesbrough-Hastings Utd - 1
Millwall-Preston - 1
Nottm Forest-Oldham - 2
Oxford-Sheffield United - 1
Peterborough-Norwich - X
QPR-West Brom - 1
Sheffield Wed.-MK Dons - 1
Southampton-Chelsea - 2
Southend-Brentford - X
Tottenham-Coventry - 1
West Ham-Man. United (18:15) - 2
Wigan-Bournemouth - 1
Tomorrow:
Mansfield-Liverpool (17:00) - 2
Swansea-Arsenal (14:30) - 2
League One
Crewe-Stevenage - 1
Doncaster-Colchester - 1
Scunthorpe-Shrewsbury - X
Swindon-Carlisle - 1
League Two
Accrington-Dagenham - X
Barnet-Bradford City - X
Bristol Rovers-Gillingham - 2
Northampton-Fleetwood - X
Port Vale-Plymouth - 1
Rochdale-AFC Wimbledon - 1
Wycombe-Chesterfield - X
York-Exeter City - 1
Scottish Division One
Cowdenbeath-Morton - 2
Dumbarton-Dunfermline2
Hamilton-Falkirk - X
Livingston-Partick - X
Raith-Airdrie - 1
Division Two
Brechin City-Alloa - X
East Fife-Albion - 1
Queen of South-Arbroath - 1
Stenhousemuir-Forfar - X
Stranraer-Ayr - X
Division Three
Berwick-E. Stirling - 1
Clyde-Annan Athletic - X
Peterhead-Montrose - 1
Rangers-Elgin City - 1
Stirling-Queen’s Park - 2
Hot four
Doncaster Rovers, Swindon, Port Vale, Rochdale