Cardiff dumps Leeds

Bristol upsets Derby in FA Cup; Man Utd storms back

Jermain Defoe celebrates after scoring the first goal for West Ham. Alex Livesey/Getty Images

LONDON (Reuters) -- The FA Cup sprung to life in dramatic style on Sunday as Leeds United were humbled by Cardiff City and Manchester United produced a trademark late recovery to knock out Aston Villa.

Leeds, the Premier League leaders, suffered a humiliating 2-1 defeat at second division Cardiff, and Derby County lost 3-1 at home to third division Bristol Rovers, but Manchester United almost stole the limelight with a stunning display at Villa Park.

Trailing 2-0 and facing a third-round exit from the competition for the first time in 18 years, the champions scored three goals in five minutes to book their place in the fourth round.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer grabbed the first before substitute Ruud Van Nistelrooy, on the bench to rest a groin injury, netted twice in two minutes to seal a stirring comeback.

"It was a fantastic Cup tie in the second half," United manager Alex Ferguson told BBC television.

"I thought we were extremely unlucky to be down but, at that point, I had to make a substitution. I didn't want to do it but he [Van Nistelrooy] came on and changed the game."

Scott Young was the Cardiff hero, smashing the ball home from close range three minutes from time to seal a famous victory over Leeds for a club lying 10th in the second division.

Worried Cork

"I was worried, because no-one got thrashed yesterday [Saturday] and I thought, with my luck, it'll probably be us," Cardiff manager Alan Cork, a member of Wimbledon's FA Cup-winning team in 1988, told Sky Sports television.

"But the way we played and determination we had showed you can beat these teams. The players will treasure it for the rest of their lives."

Leeds had looked to be on course for the fourth round when Mark Viduka put them ahead after 12 minutes, but Graham Kavanagh's stunning free-kick nine minutes later drew the hosts level.

The Premier League side were reduced to 10 men just before halftime as young striker Alan Smith was sent off for elbowing an opponent, the sixth red card of his fledgling career.

Cardiff, FA Cup winners in 1927 and the only non-English side to win the trophy, held their own in the second half, but Leeds, beaten only twice in the league all season, looked to have escaped with a draw before Young's late intervention.

"We made it difficult for ourselves with 10 men," Leeds manager David O'Leary told Sky. "We were hit by two set plays but I thought we could get a draw at least. That's the Cup, though, and all credit to Cardiff."

Earlier, Bristol Rovers, 19th in the third division, also pulled off a major upset as striker Nathan Ellington bagged a hat-trick to sink Derby, the Premier League's third-bottom club.

Long clearance

Rovers took the lead at Derby's Pride Park Stadium after 14 minutes when Ellington latched on to a long clearance by his goalkeeper Scott Howie to head the ball past Mart Poom. The visitors continued to hold their own and doubled their lead five minutes before the interval, Ellington's deflected shot sneaking past Poom at the near post.

Derby threatened briefly to get back into the match, but fell further behind as Ellington controlled the ball on the edge of the penalty area before volleying it into the bottom corner of the net just after the hour.

Fabrizio Ravanelli grabbed a late consolation for Colin Todd's men, who must now concentrate on their battle for Premier League survival.

Jermain Defoe scored twice to help West Ham United to a 3-0 win over Macclesfield Town, while third division Cheltenham Town beat second division Oldham Athletic 2-1.

The biggest upset in Saturday's matches was first division West Bromwich Albion's 2-1 victory at Sunderland.

Eleven third-round ties were postponed over the weekend.

On Saturday, two strikes by Michael Owen and a first for Nicolas Anelka put defending champion Liverpool into the fourth round with a 3-0 victory, while Arsenal had a 4-2 win at Watford. There were wins for Newcastle, Everton, Ipswich, Charlton and Leicester while Chelsea and Blackburn need replays. Ties involving Fulham, Middlesbrough, Bolton, Southampton and Tottenham were postponed because of the freezing weather.

In other Saturday results: Barnsley 1, Blackburn 0; Charlton 2, Blackpool 1; Dagenham and Redbridge 1, Ispwich 4; Leicester 2, Mansfield 1; Newcastle 2, Crystal Palace 0; Norwich 0, Chelsea 0; Stoke 0, Everton 1.

Arsenal to face Liverpool in FA Cup final repeat

Arsenal and Liverpool will meet in a repeat of last season's FA Cup final after being paired together in Sunday's fourth-round draw.

Michael Owen's two late goals at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium inspired Liverpool to a 2-1 win over Arsenal last May, and the title rivals will clash again at Highbury in three weeks' time.

Both sides reached the fourth round after comfortable victories over first division opponents on Saturday, Arsenal beating Watford 4-2 and Liverpool easing past Birmingham City 3-0.

Champions Manchester United, who came from 2-0 down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 in a dramatic third-round tie on Sunday evening, were drawn away at the eventual winners of the Wimbledon vs. Middlesbrough match.

The Selhurst Park game was postponed on Saturday because of a frozen pitch and rearranged for Tuesday.

If Middlesbrough win through, it will pit former United assistant manager Steve McClaren, now in charge at Boro, against his old employers.

United were knocked out of the FA Cup by Wimbledon in 1997, but beat Middlesbrough in the third round in 1999 on the way to their historic treble.

In other fourth-round ties, second division Cardiff City, who stunned Premier League leaders Leeds United 2-1 on Sunday, were drawn against the winners of the Southend vs. Tranmere Rovers third-round match.

Third division Bristol Rovers, fresh from a shock 3-1 win at Premier League Derby County, were rewarded with a trip to first division Gillingham.

The winners of the Norwich City-Chelsea third-round replay will entertain West Ham United in the next round, while Newcastle United face a trip to north-east neighbours Darlington if the third division club can overcome second division Peterborough in their rearranged tie.

The winners of the Coventry City-Tottenham Hotspur match were drawn at home to Stockport County or Bolton Wanderers.

All the fourth-round ties will be played on the weekend of January 26-27.

Roeder: West Ham rejected United bid for Di Canio

LONDON -- West Ham United have rejected a bid from Premier League rivals Manchester United for Paolo Di Canio, according to the London club's manager Glenn Roeder.

"Very late on Friday evening we received a faxed offer for the services of Paolo Di Canio from Manchester United but we turned them down," Roeder told Sky Sports television on Sunday.

"The ball is firmly in their [Manchester United's] court again now."

British newspapers last week reported that the Italian striker was poised to make a 3 million pounds move to Old Trafford as a replacement for Andy Cole, who joined Blackburn Rovers eight days ago.

The 33-year-old Di Canio did not play for West Ham in Sunday's 3-0 FA Cup third-round victory at third division Macclesfield Town.

Di Canio said earlier Sunday he was excited about his imminent transfer to defending champion Manchester United.

The 33-year-old Italian had been expected to complete a 3.5 million pounds (US$4.9 million) transfer this week.

"Of course, everybody should feel very good when you listen to good words from [Manchester United's] Sir Alex Ferguson, one of the best managers in the world, talking about you and seeing you in his club and his team," di Canio told the Sunday People newspaper.

"We are talking about the best team -- alongside Real Madrid in my opinion -- in the world. Playing for them has to be fantastic."

Di Canio is known as much for his disciplinary problems as for his talent on the pitch -- particularly when he pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground after being sent off in Sheffield Wednesday's match against Arsenal in 1998. Di Canio was banned for 11 matches and after falling out with Wednesday, joined West Ham in 1999.

"You have to be happy because the people recognize the job you do and that you are a talent and a character and a personality for playing at the top level," di Canio said. "So this makes me very happy, it gives me a big satisfaction because this has confirmed that -- apart from the problem I had with Paul Alcock -- I did a great job in England."

Di Canio has also played with AC Milan, Lazio and Celtic, but said United was his dream club.

"The way they play is brilliant, with the players to match," he said. "They play to win, and in football, what counts is winning and how you play. For me, United play the best attacking football. If I was a footballer there I would never leave Manchester United because it's not like any other football club who, for the moment, cannot compete to win either the league or Champions League."

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.