Arsenal begin defence v Sunderland; leaders Leicester in tie with Tottenham in FA Cup draw

FA Cup specialists Arsenal will begin their run to a hopeful third successive title in the tournament against Sunderland in the third round.

Arsenal's Olivier Giroud shown in action during their Premier League win over Sunderland on Saturday. Adrian Dennis / AFP / December 5, 2015

FA Cup holders Arsenal will kick off their attempt to retain the trophy with a third round tie against Sunderland in January.

Arsene Wenger's side defeated Sunderland 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday and just 48 hours later they were paired with Sunderland in Monday's draw for the third round.

Arsenal, who routed Aston Villa in last year’s final, will host the tie at the Emirates Stadium as they start on the road to Wembley in a bid to win the competition for a third successive year.

Elsewhere in the draw, new Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was handed a trip to fourth tier Exeter in his first taste of the competition following his recent arrival as replacement for the sacked Brendan Rodgers.

Manchester United, who haven't won the FA Cup since 2004, take on League One outfit Sheffield United at Old Trafford, while troubled Chelsea will host the winner of a second round replay between Leyton Orient and Scunthorpe.

There are several all-Premier League ties, with surprise leaders Leicester City travelling to Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester City head to Norwich City, Southampton entertain Crystal Palace and Watford host Newcastle United.

Part-timers Whitehawk have been handed a possible trip to Everton if the sixth tier side get through their second round replay at home to League Two club Dagenham and Redbridge.

Three other non-league teams feature in the draw.

The lowest-ranked among them, Salford City of the seventh tier – co-owned by former Manchester United stars Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and brothers Gary and Phil Neville – will host Championship high-fliers Derby if they can get past League Two team Hartlepool in their second round replay.

Eastleigh, the only one of the non-league sides to have made it through outright, were handed a home tie against Championship strugglers Bolton, while Grimsby will travel to Cardiff if they can beat Shrewsbury.

Draw for the English FA Cup third round:

Watford v Newcastle United

West Bromwich Albion v Bristol City

West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers

Salford City or Hartlepool United v Derby County

Exeter City v Liverpool

Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City

Colchester United v Charlton Athletic

Peterborough United v Preston North End

Northampton Town v Milton Keynes Dons

Arsenal v Sunderland

Newport County v Blackburn Rovers

Ipswich Town v Portsmouth

Birmingham City v Bournemouth

Wycombe Wanderers v Aston Villa

Sheffield Wednesday v Fulham

Oxford United v Swansea City

Brentford v Chesterfield or Walsall

Bury v Bradford City

Manchester United v Sheffield United

Everton v Dagenham or Whitehawk

Southampton v Crystal Palace

Eastleigh v Bolton Wanderers

Nottingham Forest v Queens Park Rangers

Carlisle United v Yeovil Town

Chelsea v Leyton Orient or Scunthorpe United

Doncaster Rovers v Stoke City

Leeds United v Rotherham United

Cardiff City v Grimsby Town or Shrewsbury Town

Huddersfield Town v Reading

Middlesbrough v Burnley

Norwich City v Manchester City

Hull City v Brighton & Hove Albion

Ties to be played between January 8 and 11

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