Tottenham and Arsenal have been handed FA Cup third-round trips to lower league opposition, possibly non-League opposition.
Spurs, who lost Sunday’s Premier League derby at the Emirates Stadium 4-2, will travel to League Two Tranmere or Southport of the National League North. The Gunners, too, are on the road, to the winners of the second-round replay between National League Solihull Moors and League One Blackpool.
Wrexham of the National League will also host Premier League opposition in the shape of the 2016 champions, Leicester City, if they can get past League Two Newport. And Watford likewise will hope to avoid a giant-killing act when they head to the National League South side Woking.
Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea were handed home draws against the Championship trio of Reading, Rotherham and Nottingham Forest respectively, while League Two Lincoln will travel to top-flight Everton.
Forest have eliminated the holders of the FA Cup on five of the six previous occasions they have faced them, including beating Arsenal in the third round last season.
The draw yielded two all-Premier League ties with Wolves welcoming Liverpool to Molineux and Bournemouth hosting Brighton. Liverpool remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season.
Cardiff will travel to League One Gillingham, while Newcastle face Blackburn of the Championship at St James’ Park and Crystal Palace are at home to League Two Grimsby.
Southampton have been drawn away to promotion-chasing Derby, while Fulham welcome League Two Oldham to Craven Cottage and the Championship side Birmingham head for West Ham, with Burnley taking on League One Barnsley at Turf Moor.
Everton will play Lincoln at Goodison Park and the two have an interesting history. They met four times in league matches between 1952-54 in the old Second Division days and also in a two-leg League Cup tie in 1993. Howard Kendall’s side made hard work of disposing of the Imps, winning 4-3 in the first leg at Sincil Bank before a 4-2 victory at Goodison.
Joey Barton’s Fleetwood avoided an upset at non-league Guiseley on Monday evening to take their place in the third round draw. First-half goals from Paddy Madden and Wes Burns set up a 2-1 win, with Alex Purver pulling one back for the hosts. Fleetwood will now play Wimbledon in an all-League One tie.
The third round is scheduled to take place over the weekend of Saturday 5 January 2019. Winning clubs will receive £135,500 after the FA doubled the prize fund at the beginning of the season.