All the stats on this weekend’s televised FA Cup football

Preston face Liverpool and Southampton challenge Man Utd

It’s FA Cup third round weekend but instead of Motson and Lawro it will be Tyldesley and Pleat putting words to the pictures as ITV and Setanta take charge of proceedings. Here are some statistics about the three matches they have decided to screen this weekend:

Preston v Liverpool
Saturday evening sees the Mark Lawrenson derby take place at Deepdale as the club the BBC pundit supports face the one he spent most of his career at. Alan Irvine’s side have a good record in the FA Cup, having reached the fifth round in each of the last three seasons while Preston have won ten of their thirteen home league matches. Lawro predicted a draw in his column and while that sounds like a reasonable shout, there hasn’t been a draw at Deepdale since last April and that was the only one in the last fourteen months. Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres are both expected to figure for Liverpool, who have gone out at this stage twice in four seasons under Benitez, while being taken to a replay in another.

Southampton v Manchester United
The Saints have got through the third round in each of the last four years and reached the fifth round last year however Manchester United haven’t been knocked out at this stage since 1984 when they lost at home to Harry Redknapp’s Bournemouth although they have been taken to replays the last two times they have drawn clubs outside the top-flight at this stage. Southampton will be looking for revenge on Sir Alex Ferguson’s side for condemning them to relegation three-and-a-half years ago and will take heart from the fact they have won five of their last eleven home games against the champions.

Posted: January 2nd, 2009 by Michael Lintorn |