Manchester United will be at home to Arsenal in the standout tie
of the fifth round of the FA Cup following Monday's draw.
United is seeking to extend its record number of FA Cup wins to
12 while Arsenal, the second-most successful club in the
competition's history, needs one more success to match United's
current tally.
Holder Chelsea will expect to advance after being given a home
draw against League One (third division) Huddersfield Town, as will
Liverpool, at home to Championship (second division) Barnsley.
Only six Premier League teams made it into the last 16 and the
two from outside the "big four" both got awkward away games against
Championship sides who took Premier scalps at the weekend.
Middlesbrough, which struggled to get past Mansfield on
Saturday, now visits Sheffield United, which knocked out Manchester
City, while Portsmouth is at Preston North End, who had an
impressive 4-1 win at Derby County.
Bristol Rovers of League One have a good chance for a rare taste
of the sixth round, having been drawn at home to Championship side
Southampton.
Championship leaders West Bromwich Albion is at Coventry City
while, in another all-Championship clash, Cardiff City hosts
Wolverhampton Wanderers, where Cardiff manager Dave Jones will be
facing his former club.
United and Arsenal have had some titanic meetings in recent
seasons, though their last in the FA Cup was the goalless final in
2005, which Arsenal won on penalties.
United won a 2004 semifinal 1-0 at Villa Park while Arsenal
triumphed 2-0 at Old Trafford in the fifth round in 2003.
However, the most famous clash of recent years was the 1999
semifinal, which United won 2-1 in a replay after Ryan Giggs's
spectacular solo goal in extra time.
Chelsea needed a late goal by Eidur Gudjohnsen to secure a 2-1
home win over Huddersfield two years ago while the Yorkshire side
did win at Stamford Bridge in the League Cup in 1999.
The matches will be played over the weekend of February 16-17
with the final at Wembley on May 17.
(Agencies via China Daily January 30, 2008)