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'A wonderful draw' FA Cup draw pits Premier league sides together
LONDON (Reuters) -- Leeds United has been drawn at home to Liverpool, and favorite Manchester United will host West Ham United after the draw for the FA Cup fourth round threw up several all-Premier League clashes. Minor league side Dagenham and Redbridge was given a big incentive to overcome Premier League side Charlton Athletic in their third round replay, with the winner drawn to host Tottenham Hotspur. Holder Chelsea travels to first division Gillingham, the side it beat 5-0 at Stamford Bridge in the sixth round on the way to last year's Wembley triumph. The Leeds-Liverpool clash brings together the teams who met in the 1965 final, which Liverpool won 2-1 after extra time to lift the FA Cup for the first time. Manchester United, 2-1 winner at Fulham on Sunday, was rewarded with a home tie against West Ham United, which it beat 3-1 at Old Trafford on New Year's Day. The winner of the Aston Villa-Newcastle United replay will entertain Leicester City, and in another all-Premier League tie, Coventry City visit Manchester City. They drew 1-1 on New Year's Day at Highfield Road. "It's a wonderful draw because a lot of good teams will go out next round," said Newcastle manager Bobby Robson. Superstitious fans of Tottenham, which usually does well when there is a number one in the year, will point out that Spurs beat Charlton Athletic in the third round on the way to the 1961 cup triumph, part of a league and cup double. But Dagenham and Redbridge has other ideas. "I think our manager Garry Hill will be doing cartwheels right now, as he's an avid Tottenham fan," said Dagenham's American striker Junior McDougald, who scored the side's goal in the 1-1 draw at The Valley on Saturday. The other minor league side left in the competition, Kingstonian, had to settle for an away trip to second division Bristol City. Disappointed manager Geoff Chapple, who had been hoping for a money-spinning game against a Premier League side, said: "I don't know where these short straws come from, but they seem to have Kingstonian written all over them." The minor league side won 1-0 at third division Southend United to reach the fourth round for the first time. Other eye-catching ties see Premier League Everton playing host to Mersey rivals Tranmere Rovers of the first division. Wolverhampton Wanderers' reward for a win at division one rival Nottingham Forest on Sunday -- in manager Dave Jones' first match in charge -- was a trip to either second division Wycombe or first division Grimsby. Arsenal visits either second division Luton Town or first division Queens Park Rangers. If Sunderland sees off first division Crystal Palace in their replay it will face Premier League rival Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light, a repeat of the New Year's Day fixture won 4-1 by Sunderland. Derby County faces a tough trip to first division Blackburn Rovers, renewing an FA Cup rivalry which dates back to 1892. Matches are played on the weekend of January 27/28.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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