English football´s big guns face Championship tests

Manchester United have been handed an FA Cup third round trip to Championship club Southampton, while Liverpool travel to Preston and Arsenal host Plymouth.

Like United, Liverpool and Arsenal are both facing Championship teams, but their fellow big-four club Chelsea have an easier tie at home to League One Southend. FA Cup holders Portsmouth were drawn at home to Bristol City

Conference club Histon, from English football's fifth tier, were rewarded with a home tie against Championship side Swansea after their shock 1-0 win over Leeds on Sunday.

Barrow, also a Conference team, will travel to Premier League Middlesbrough and fellow non-league club Eastwood Town, fifth in the Northern Premier Division, travel to Notts County or Kettering.

Blyth Spartans of the Conference North have an extra incentive to win their second round replay against Bournemouth after being given a potential home tie against Blackburn.

Draw for the English FA Cup third round made on Sunday:

Portsmouth v Bristol City

Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham

Preston v Liverpool

Birmingham v Wolverhampton

West Ham v Barnsley

Middlesbrough v Barrow

Hull v Newcastle

Hartlepool v Stoke

Chelsea v Southend

Manchester City v Nottingham Forest

Cardiff v Reading

Ipswich v Chesterfield or Droylesden

Charlton v Norwich

West Brom v Peterborough or Tranmere

Torquay v Blackpool

Leyton Orient v Sheffield United

Southampton v Manchester United

Millwall v Carlisle or Crewe

Histon v Swansea

Forest Green Rovers v Derby

QPR v Burnley

Leicester v Crystal Palace

Tottenham v Wigan

Morecambe or Cheltenham v Doncaster

Arsenal v Plymouth

Notts County or Kettering v Eastwood Town

Bournemouth or Blyth Spartans v Blackburn

Macclesfield v Everton

Watford v Scunthorpe

Sunderland v Bolton

Coventry v Kidderminster

Gillingham or Stockport v Aston Villa.

Ties will be played on the weekend of January 3-4