West Ham draw home comfort

ENGLISH FA CUP THIRD ROUND DRAW : WEST HAM will host London rivals Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup in one of three …

ENGLISH FA CUP THIRD ROUND DRAW: WEST HAM will host London rivals Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup in one of three all Premier League fixtures. Gianfranco Zola's side host Arsenal, who last lifted the trophy in 2005, and have not picked up any silverware since.

The other two top-flight affairs see Aston Villa host Blackburn Rovers and Hull travel to Wigan.

Chelsea won the cup last year, under the guidance of interim coach Guus Hiddink, and his successor Carlo Ancelotti begins his attempt to match that feat with a home clash against Watford.

The 2008/’09 runners-up Everton, meanwhile, welcome League One side Carlisle to Goodison Park. The Premier League side Merseyside rivals, seven-time winners Liverpool, were drawn against second-tier Reading.

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Non-league Kettering could be set for a dream trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford should they manage to negotiate their second-round replay with Leeds United.

The 2008 finalists Chelsea and Portsmouth have both been drawn at home against Watford and Coventry respectively.

THIRD ROUND DRAW: Tottenham v Peterborough; Brentford v Doncaster; Middlesbrough v Manchester City; Stoke v York; Notts County v Forest Green; Huddersfield v West Brom; Sheffield Utd v QPR; MK Dons v Burnley; Chelsea v Watford; Nottm Forest v Birmingham; Preston v Colchester; West Ham v Arsenal; Aston Villa v Blackburn; Portsmouth v Coventry; Sunderland v Oxford Utd/Barrow; Wigan v Hull; Everton v Carlisle; Sheffield Wed v Crystal Palace; Tranmere/Aldershot v Wolves; Blackpool v Ipswich; Fulham v Swindon; Stockport/Torquay v Brighton; Scunthorpe v Barnsley; Southampton v Rotherham/Luton; Bristol City v Cardiff; Reading v Liverpool; Staines Town/Millwall v Derby; Plymouth v Newcastle; Leicester v Swansea; Bolton v Lincoln City; Acrington/Barnet v Gillingham; Manchester United v Kettering/Leeds Utd.

Ties to be played over the weekend of the January 2nd-3rd.