Manchester United will try to avenge one of the most embarrassing defeats in the club’s recent history when the Premier League champions face old rivals Leeds United in the League Cup third round today.
Alex Ferguson’s side have enjoyed plenty of glorious moments over the last two decades, but the bitter taste left by their 1-0 FA Cup third round defeat against Leeds in 2010 still lingers for some at Old Trafford.
While Manchester City and Liverpool will always be United’s biggest rivals, matches against Yorkshire club Leeds have traditionally come laced with plenty of poison.
The rivalry goes back to the 1970s when Don Revie’s Leeds established themselves as a major force in English football and neither set of supporters has much regard for the other.
While United are sure to rest several first-team stars, Ferguson would dearly love to make amends for that loss to a Jermaine Beckford goal at Old Trafford 18 months ago when Leeds were languishing in League One, the third tier of English football.
Leeds boss Simon Grayson certainly isn’t shy about revealing his feelings about the game, which will take the attention away from his club’s slow start in the Championship.
“It’s the chance to do a double (over United), isn’t it?” Grayson said.
“The draw gave the players a little bit of a lift. It’s a great tie for both clubs and we had a result at their place a couple of years ago.
“We’d like to try and do the same at home.”
The other stand-out tie of the round comes at Brighton’s new Amex Stadium, where the Championship promotion hopefuls host Liverpool.
Gus Poyet’s team have made a fine start to life in their new 25,000-capacity stadium after years in exile at a run-down athletics arena and a famous cup giant-killing would underline their recent revival.
In contrast, Liverpool will travel to the south-coast desperately hoping to avoid a shock defeat after two successive losses in the Premier League, including Sunday’s 4-0 thrashing at Tottenham.
England midfielder Steven Gerrard could feature for Liverpool for the first time since March after returning from a groin operation.
Other ties of note see beleaguered Arsenal host League Two Shrewsbury in a fixture Gunners boss Arsene Wenger dare not lose after Sunday’s 4-3 defeat at Blackburn.
Chelsea host Fulham in a west London derby they need to win to erase some of the negative vibes after Sunday’s 3-1 loss at Manchester United.
Third round
Today: Aldershot vs Rochdale, Arsenal vs Shrewsbury, Aston Villa vs Bolton, Burnley vs MK Dons, Leeds vs Man. United, N. Forest vs Newcastle, Stoke vs Tottenham, Wolves vs Millwall, Blackburn vs Leyton Orient, Crystal Palace vs Middlesbrough.
Tomorrow: Brighton vs Liverpool, Cardiff vs Leicester, Chelsea vs Fulham, Man. City vs Birmingham, Southampton vs Preston, Everton vs West Brom.