Results:
Cardiff 0-0 Tottenham
Everton 1-4 Blackburn
Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa
Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Manchester City
GOALFLASHES AND MAJOR INCIDENTS (all times GMT)
So then, Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers join the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Swansea in progressing in the FA Cup, while Cardiff, Tottenham, Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester City go into the hat for the fourth round but face replays on Wednesday 17 January to determine whether they will actually get that far.
The draw for the fourth round will be made at 1330 GMT on Monday and you can follow it on BBC Two, Radio Five Live and right here on the BBC Sport website.
Before that you can have your say on Radio Five Live's 606 with Alan Green from 1800 GMT (Tel: 0500 909 693) and you can catch up with the weekend action on Match of the Day at 2315 GMT on BBC One.
1751: FULL-TIME Cardiff 0-0 Tottenham
That is that. A busy afternoon of FA Cup football ends with a competitive draw in dreadful conditions in the Welsh capital.
1749: Both teams look happy for a draw as time ticks down.
1747: Joe Ledley swings in a high cross but Steven Thompson cannot get enough on it. As the ball comes back in from the left Ledley receives it in space which is quickly closed down with a blocking tackle from Teemu Tainio.
1746: Before the corner Spurs make a change with Anthony Gardner coming on for Lee Young-Pyo. They say you should never make a substitution before a corner but Spurs maintain their focus and clear... for the time being.
1745: Tottenham sweep forward but Cardiff stand firm, regroup and then push down the left and win a corner at the other end.
1743: With neither team really probing in the attacking third that price must be pretty long.
1740: It is a like-for-like Tottenham swap as Robbie Keane comes on for Jermain Defoe. We've had two late, late goals already this afternoon. What price another?
1739: Robbie Keane is set to come on with 10 minutes remaining. Last season Tottenham were caught out at Leicester at this stage of the competition by a last-minute goal.
1738: The trouble in the stands dies down. All eyes are back on the pitch.
1736: As it is something is breaking out in the crowd as stewards and police close in on Cardiff fans behind the Spurs goal. A flare is thrown across at the Tottenham fans but fails to reach them.
1734: Kevin McNaughton, having gone off to change his boots, is eventually ushered on by Howard Webb having stood sentry-like on the touchlines for more than a minute while the home fans whistled for the referee's attention. If Dimitar Berbatov had got on the end of a throughball and scored pandemonium would have broken out.
1731: Cardiff keeper Neil Alexander is scrambling across his goal to get to Steed Malbranque's athletic bicycle kick from Pascal Chimbonda's cross. What was the worry for Alexander? The effort is narrowly the other side of his right post.
Player rater: Who is your man of the match from any of the afternoon's games? Get involved...
1727: Joe Ledley chances his arm from distance but his bullet shot fails to find the target.
1726: Paul Robinson carefully traps a back pass before launching a clearance. A flick-on from Dimitar Berbatov on halfway and Jermain Defoe races through... only to be pinged for offside.
1723: The call goes out for Aaron Lennon who has a last slurp of an energy drink on the touchline before coming on to replace Danny Murphy.
1720: Jermain Defoe looks to pounce on a loose ball in the box but keeper Neil Alexander is alert, comes off his line and blocks the effort.
1719: Willo Flood gathers the ball on the right touchline and threads a pass infield to Riccardo Scimeca who slams his effort from the angle over the bar.
1717: The stats show that Cardiff have only had 37% of possession but they are clearly doing the more with it as they look for a first win over Spurs since 1977 - which was also in the FA Cup in the third round.
1715: The locals like that as Michael Dawson is forced to concede a corner under pressure from Riccardo Scimeca. No alarms for Spurs though as keeper Paul Robinson gathers cleanly.
1712: City's Joe Ledley gets on the end of a cross from the right but volleys over. The execution is more akin to the effort at goal you would see across town at the Arms Park.
1709: Tottenham went out of the Cup at this stage to a Championship side 12 months ago so they will be wary of a repeat against the Bluebirds. On that occasion they lost 3-2 to Leicester despite being 2-1 up at the break.
1706: Cardiff lose possession in the middle of the park, Steed Malbranque releases Jermain Defoe but the diminutive striker drags the effort wide of Neil Alexander's goal.
1703: Referee Howard Webb is the last man out at Ninian Park. He strides across the pitch, places the ball on the centre spot and Cardiff kick off the second half against Tottenham.
1659: FULL-TIME Everton 1-4 Blackburn
Rovers have now won three of their last four games at Goodison Park and that one was supremely easy. Boos ring out from the home fans and with the blue half of Liverpool joining the red half in the FA Cup dustbin at the third round stage it will be the first time since 1998 that no Merseyside representatives have made the fourth round stage of the tournament.
1658: GOAL Everton 1-4 Blackburn
Substitute Benni McCarthy spins around Lee Carsley and evades Joleon Lescott before firing a rasping shot into the roof of the net to cap a great win for Rovers.
1656: Four minutes of added time at Goodison Park, where the home fans have been streaming for the exits for a while now.
1654: FULL-TIME Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Manchester City
After that late fiasco the final whistle goes and it will be a replay and a chance for old team-mates Brian Laws and Stuart Pearce to mull over the old times in Manchester in 10 days where Wednesday will look to end their wait for a win over City the hard way.
1652: A delay at Hillsborough where the corner flag is broken as the ball goes out. Graham Poll sends the call out for a new one. Ridiculous. The tension is broken and it is all smiles between Brian Laws and Stuart Pearce on the touchline. Laws urges Poll to get on with it and the referee comes to have words with him. Petty bureaucracy gone mad before a young lad comes running up with a replacement.
1650: If Sheffield Wednesday are going to make the most of their chance in stoppage time they will have to do it the hard way as they start that period defending a corner. Richard Dunne meets the delivery with a powerful header which Mark Crossley punches clear.
1649: Wednesday continue to push in the final minute of normal time. City will clearly have the edge in a home replay so the Owls will want to make the most of the three minutes of added time.
1646: HALF-TIME Cardiff 0-0 Tottenham
Six of one and half a dozen of the other across the Severn, although Cardiff will be buoyed by their performance.
1643: Championship Sheffield Wednesday are on top against Premiership Manchester City and this time substitute Wade Small strides forward before firing wide of the target from the edge of the area.
1641: A glorious chance for Steven MacLean to make it two as the ball is pulled back into the box from the right with Wednesday players lining up, but he pushes the effort wide.
1639: 'Hi Ho Silver Lining' rings around the famous old ground and it is a sure bet City boss Stuart Pearce is not joining in this time!
1638: Sheffield Wednesday 1-1 Manchester City
Hillsborough is in delirium as Wednesday equalise. Steven MacLean steps in from the left on to his right foot and arrows a shot in. Nicky Weaver gets fingers to the ball but cannot stop it going in off the post.
1636: Sheffield Wednesday 0-1 Manchester City
And a penalty at Hillsborough. Micah Richards is the jam in a Sheffield Wednesday sandwich as he bursts into the box and is up-ended. Georgios Samaras steps up to score despite Mark Crossley going the right way.
1634: GOAL Everton 1-3 Blackburn
Mikel Arteta wanted a penalty early in the first half. Late in the second he gets one after a foul by Aaron Mokoena. Andrew Johnson nonchalantly slots, but there is little celebration from the bald striker on a bad day for Everton.
1632: Cardiff cut Spurs open at the back but Steve Thompson's cross into the box from the right is a whisker too high for the leaping Michael Chopra to get his head to.
1631: 'Come on City! Come on City!' That's the chant from the travelling support as they push for a winner. From the corner the lank-haired Georgios Samaras fires a shot through a forest of bodies but Mark Crossley watches it all the way and blocks well.
1630: City's DaMarcus Beasley gets a sniff of some space on the left but Glenn Whelan snuffs out the danger. The visitors soon win a corner as Graham Coughlan turns Darius Vassell's effort behind.
1627: They have lived dangerously at times this afternoon, but the Manchester City defence rack up 250 minutes without conceding a goal on their travels.
1626: Mark Crossley is down again after clashing with his own defender Graham Coughlan. The pair were focused on a high ball in the Wednesday box and both need treatment before getting back to their feet.
1625: Steven Thompson climbs high but heads narrowly wide of the Tottenham goal. Paul Robinson's does his best to join the rogue's gallery of keeper clangers but just gets enough on it.
1624: A great chance for Manchester City but Mark Crossley stays big to deny Darius Vassell who was running in from the right.
1623: The ball falls for Dimitar Berbatov on the edge of the box after Cardiff fail to clear Pascal Chimbonda's ball forward and Neil Alexander makes a fine save as the Tottenham striker's effort takes a slight deflection.
1621: Wednesday midfielder Glenn Whelan plays a neat one-two with Kenny Lunt on the edge of the area but fires wide. Whelan was rejected by Manchester City early in his career.
1618: The Owls have not beaten City since Meatloaf was on top of the charts with 'I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)' in November 1993. That's seven games and counting.
1617: The home fans at Hillsborough are taunting the travelling support with chants of "Premiership? You're having a laugh". Five seasons ago they were up against each other in the second tier, City doing a double with an aggregate score of 10-2.
1615: Lee Young-Pyo's aimless header plays Spurs into trouble. Michael Chopra latches on to the ball and bears down on goal, but with Paul Robinson racing off his line the striker's early effort goes wide.
1614: And Derby's Billy Davies will be impressed by what he's watching. Sheffield Wednesday are asking serious questions of Manchester City. Graham Coughlan gets on the end of a corner but cannot turn his header on goal.
1613: There are some famous faces in the crowd at Hillsborough. Derby boss Billy Davies is taking copious notes on his side's next league opponents, Republic of Ireland head coach Steve Staunton is looking on and Owls fan David Blunkett MP is also in attendance.
1612: It is that big man little man due linking up for Spurs again. Jermain Defoe darts on to a flick on from Dimitar Berbatov in the left-hand channel and flashes a shot across goal.
1611: The action resumes on Merseyside.
1610: The players emerge at Goodison Park after what seems like an age since the whistle went for the break.
1609: Now Bulgarian Dimitar Berbatov is showing his skills in defence. Heading Stephen McPhail's corner half away before clubbing the clear the loose ball.
1608: As they are at Ninian Park, so long as you support Spurs. The Londoners have started well with Dimitar Berbatov and Jermain Defoe linking up well in the attacking third.
1607: City are rocking as Georgios Samaras clears Lee Bullen's effort off the line. At the other end Mark Crossley saves from Darius Vassell. No goal at Hillsborough but things are warming up nicely.
1606: Frankie Simek swings a low cross into the Manchester City box which Sylvain Distin swings at and almost turns into his own goal. Nicky Weaver shows agility to tip it over.
1604: And Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester City resume rivalries ay Hillsborough.
1601: The action begins in the Welsh capital.
1558: Spurs have won just one of their last four, but that is great going compared to their hosts who last won in the second week of November. That is a run of 10 games, seven of which they have drawn.
1557: The players emerge at a wet and wild Ninian Park. The intimidating home faithful are undermined somewhat by a clutch of fans wearing luminous blue plastic sheeting to protect against the rain.
Team news:
Kevin McNaughton and Stephen McPhail return for Cardiff, with ex-Gunner Kevin Campbell on the bench.Tottenham draft Danny Murphy in for the injured Hossam Ghaly, while Aaron Lennon and Robbie Keane take their place on a strong-looking bench.
1555: Now to Ninian Park where the players warmed up as Counting Crows' "Mr Jones" blasted out across the ground, presumably in tribute to Bluebirds boss Dave Jones. Unlike Stuart Pearce at Hillsborough, Spurs boss Martin Jol decided against joining in the singalong.
1554: HALF-TIME Everton 0-3 Blackburn
The home side are booed off at Goodison Park. Stephane Henchoz is in good company... or is he?
1554: FULL-TIME Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa
What a kick in the teeth for Villa. Martin O'Neill has not had much luck in the FA Cup while in the opposing corner Sir Alex Ferguson will be raising a glass to toast maintaining his 100% winning record in the third round.
1553: Patrice Evra almost plays in Milan Baros at the back but Tomasz Kuszczak comes sliding out to clear.
1552: HALF-TIME Sheffield Wednesday 0-0 Manchester City
Not much between the teams at Hillsborough where City made a late change before the break, Trevor Sinclair replacing Hatem Trabelsi.
1552: A chance for a third for Manchester United as they break at speed. A stepover too many from Cristiano Ronaldo and a great chance to put the game to bed goes begging as Villa's rearguard recovers.
1550: GOAL Manchester United 2-1 Aston Villa
Gabor Kiraly has edged out Tim Howard for the goalkeeping cock-up of the day. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is played in by Wayne Rooney and fires in a shot which goes straight through the Hungarian.
1549: There will be four minutes of added time at Old Trafford. If there is no goal these two teams are going to know each other inside out within the fortnight. As well as a replay at Villa Park, they have a league fixture at Old Trafford next weekend.
1547: Manchester United are running out of time to find a winner at Old Trafford. In the interests of balanced reporting, so are Aston Villa.
1546: More trouble for Everton as Nuno Valente comes off second best in a challenge with David Bentley and is stretchered off. To add insult to injury he is booked as he is carried to the touchline.
1545: And David Moyes, despite working wonders in the blue half of Merseyside, has yet to lead the club to the fifth round in a cup competition. The wait is set to go on.
1544: Everton have not beaten Premiership opponents in the FA Cup since seeing off Coventry in 1999. The wait is set to go on.
1543: GOAL Everton 0-3 Blackburn
Mr PA man will not have any trouble with Paul Gallagher. The Rovers striker expertly collects a lofted pass from David Bentley on the edge of the area with his back to goal, turns, sends Joseph Yobo the wrong way and slots number three.
1542: The Goodison Park PA announcer gets his knickers in a twist pronouncing a Blackburn change as Zurab Khizanishvili troops off. Replacement Stephane Henchoz, a former Liverpool defender, is greeted by boos.
1540: Why do people leave matches early? With the game perfectly poised for a grandstand finish at Old Trafford, England head coach Steve McClaren ups and turns for the exit. Perhaps he only came to see Henrik Larsson. Does he know something we don't? Does the Swede have an English great-grandmother or something?
1537: A standing ovation for Henrik Larsson as he is replaced by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. It may not be up there with Wayne Rooney's hat-trick haul on debut a few seasons back, but it was a pretty good show from the Swede.
1535: Henrik Larsson meets a Ryan Giggs corner at the near post and turns a header on goal which is cleared off the line by Aaron Hughes. As United maintain the pressure Gary Neville directs a header over.
1534: That is the first Villa goal against United in 381 minutes or six hours and 21 minutes if you'd rather.
1533: GOAL Manchester United 1-1 Aston Villa
And that silences the Old Trafford crowd big time. Milan Baros finds himself in exactly the same spot as Isaiah Osbourne did moments earlier and the striker makes no mistake, threading a low shot beyond the exposed Tomasz Kuszczak.
1532: A crescendo of noise at Old Trafford as Wayne Rooney scampers forward comes to an abrupt end as Gavin McCann steps in with a telling tackle.
1530: The veins in Stuart Pearce's neck are popping out as he snarls instructions at his team from the touchline. Not surprising really. They are being outplayed by the Owls at the minute.
1528: Isaiah Osbourne is played in in the box one-on-one with Tomasz Kuszczak but the ball gets caught in his feet and he shoots straight at the Pole. Martin O'Neill has his head in his hands as a great chance goes begging.
1525: GOAL Everton 0-2 Blackburn
Morten Gamst Pedersen doubles Blackburn's advantage. Tim Howard made a better fist of saving that one but he would have needed spring-heeled boots to get to it as Pedersen put it right in the top corner from 25 yards out. Quality.
1524: Potential problems for Sheffield Wednesday? Veteran keeper Mark Crossley, on loan from Fulham, needs treatment on a leg problem.
1522: On second thoughts hold the image of Mikel Arteta smearing Vaseline over his face before trotting out to play football. More likely it's paint off the pitch after going down under Moretn Gamst Pedersen's challenge close to the byeline.
1521: At Hillsborough there is a booking for alleged Chelsea target Micah Richards. The Manchester City man can have little argument after wrestling Kenny Lunt to the ground.
1520: Mikel Arteta is sporting a tub of Vaseline on his face and looks like a boxer. And he has the snarl of a fighter after failing to win a penalty after a challenge from Morten Gamst Pedersen. For his part the Norwegian thinks featherweight Arteta deserves a booking judging by his imaginary card waving.
1519: Georgios Samaras has the ball in the net for Manchester City but it is ruled out for a push in a penalty box melee.
1517: Andrew Johnson pulls the ball back for Mikel Arteta in the box but the Everton midfielder skies a left-footed shot high, wide and not very handsome. While at Old Trafford Cristiano Ronaldo clips the bar with a free-kick.
1516: A shot on target for the Owls now as Kenny Lunt fires an effort in from distance. The bearded Nicky Weaver is well behind it. Take note Tim Howard. That's how you do it.
1513: GOAL Manchester United 1-0 Aston Villa
Henrik Larsson has had a good debut and there is a goal to cap it. Wayne Rooney plays a square ball to him just inside the area and with a first touch he controls expertly, lifting the ball up to hammer home on the half-volley with his second touch.
1511: A chance for Sheffield Wednesday but it is a hopeless effort from Chris Brunt. He surges on to a pass in the box on the left but gets minimal contact with a swinging leg.
1509: GOAL Everton 0-1 Blackburn
What do you know? A first goal and of course it is at unexciting Everton. Home keeper Tim Howard will not want to see the replay. He looks to be doing his best to dive out of the way of Morten Gamst Pedersen's long-range drive, gets some of his body behind it but only enough to divert it into the path of Matt Derbyshire who taps in.
1508: No such excitement at Goodison. Everton have been a bit hit and miss recently while Blackburn have picked up with three wins in a row. But Rovers have not beaten their hosts in their last three matches.
1507: Now it is Villa's turn to test United's rearguard but the Red Devils hold firm before any hope of an away goal is waved away by the linesman's flag for offside.
1506: That talking to from Sir Alex Ferguson has fired up his side who pile some early pressure on the Aston Villa goal, Wes Brown heading over.
1505: After a one-minute silence in memory of Sgt Graham Hesketh, an Everton fan who died on duty in Iraq, the action starts at Goodison Park.
1504: Aston Villa get the ball rolling again at Old Trafford.
1501: Match number two of the day starts at Hillsborough.
1500: The players emerge at Goodison where, like Old Trafford, it is teeming down.
1459: There is no warm embrace on the touchline between the two bosses Brian Laws and Stuart Pearce who were former Nottingham Forest team-mates. The home manager is up in the stands. Pearce passes the time by singing along to "Hi-Ho Silver Lining". All together now...
1458: Manchester City have won their last three in a row so form favours the Premiership outfit. They have also won three of their last four on the road.
1457: Here come the players in the Steel City. The Owls have picked up under new boss Brian Laws winning six of the 11 games under his charge, although two of their three losses have come at home, including defeat last time out to struggling Hull.
1456: That dancing troupe are still waving their blue and white pom-poms with glee and perform a Mexican Wave of sorts along the touchline as the Hillsborough crowd await the players.
Team news:
Everton bring in Victor Anichebe and Andy van der Meyde for James Beattie and Simon Davies. Blackburn tinker to the extreme with six changes. In: Andre Ooijer, Andy Todd, James McEveley, Tugay, Matt Derbyshire and Paul Gallagher. Out: Brett Emerton, Stephane Henchoz, Robbie Savage, Benni McCarthy, Shabani Nonda and the suspended Lucas Neill.
Sheffield Wednesday recall striker Stephen MacLean. Manchester City are without the suspended Joey Barton while Stephen Ireland is still not fit to return.
1452: There's a good crowd for Sheffield Wednesday and Manchester City where the home side's dancing troupe are waving pom-poms on the touchline in a vaguely synchronised style.
1451: There's a milk maid kitted out in blue near the Everton tunnel and the home side's Elephant mascot is doing good business on the touchline. An elephant? Chang, the name of the beer sponsor emblazoned on their shirts, translates from Thai to English as elephant.
1449: So what's going on at Goodison Park and Hillsborough?
1447: HALF-TIME: Manchester United 0-0 Aston Villa
The players go off as the rain comes down at Old Trafford. The second 45 can only get better.
1444: Villa are close to reaching the break deadlocked, but Gabor Kiraly's weak clearance will cause a few flutters in the hearts of the travelling support. United cannot make the tracksuited Hungarian pay.
1442: Manchester United's players can expect a talking to at half-time. Sir Alex Ferguson is chewing gum furiously on the touchline and looks tense as he sits to the front of his seat in the dug-out.
1440: Another poor touch in the box from Wayne Rooney as Ryan Giggs threads a pass into his path. Rooney has not scored in almost a month.
1439: Now Henrik Larsson is through on goal but Gabor Kiraly saves the Swede's shot with his legs. Larsson looks to the skies.
1438: The audio change looks to have done the trick as the quality of action on the pitch improves. Henrik Larsson plays a square ball into the box for Wayne Rooney but his first touch allows Wilfred Bouma to steam in from the blindside with a blocking tackle.
1436: The general lack of excitement can at Old Trafford can be summed up by the fact Alan Green is chatting about his co-commentator Mike Ingham's recent trip to Los Angeles. Chris Waddle is talking about the Chuckle Brothers. Time to tune in to the TV boys.
1434: Things are looking good for Villa. The crowd is quiet and United are disjointed. Just to check any over-confident Villa fans, when the teams met in December it was 0-0 at the break. By full-time it was 3-0.
1430: Touchline agitation and antics are normally the domain of Martin O'Neill, but Sir Alex Ferguson, the man O'Neill has dubbed the "Godfather of the Premiership", is down at the edge of his technical area bellowing instructions as Villa grow in confidence.
1428: No sign of big, balding goalkeepers wearing garish orange shorts doing keepie-uppies at Hillsborough but there's a tender moment in the stands between a couple. After a sneaky peck on the lips the lass is gazing adoringly at her beanie-wearing, steel-jawed Sheffield adonis. The romance of the Cup!
1427: By the way, those two Gareth Barry goals against United have both come in the first month of the year... so you never know, it could be his day.
1426: Cheeky. Stilian Petrov feigns to take it before Gareth Barry steps up and whips an effort over the bar.
1425: Michael Carrick fouls Stilian Petrov outside the box and it is another opportunity for the Bulgarian to chance his arm with a deadball.
1423: Wayne Rooney and Henrik Larsson link with a neat one-two, the Swede hooking the ball back into his team-mates path on the edge of the area, but the finish is weak.
1421: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21... Brad Friedel is doing keepie-uppies at Goodison Park as the Blackburn players warm up. 29, 30, 31, 32, 33... not bad for a big man!
1419: A yellow card for Gary Cahill after a deliberate trip on Cristiano Ronaldo. The threat of a counter-attack is clear as it came after Villa were pressuring with another deadball.
1418: United are threatening to slip into gear only for Park Ji-Sung to shin an effort from distance high into the crowd.
1417: A neat turn and shot from Henrik Larsson on the edge of the box which Gabor Kiraly is equal to. It is straight at the tracksuit-bottomed Hungarian.
1416: A mere 15 seconds on and United are in on goal, but they lost a bit of momentum and Henrik Larsson's header is gathered by Gabor Kiraly.
1415: A corner for Villa which Tomasz Kuszczak punches clear and United break.
1413: After that first start United have gone off the boil a bit. Henrik Larsson chests the ball into Wayne Rooney's path but the England man shoots wildly wide.
Player rater: If at any stage today you want to give your verdict on any of the players on show get involved...
1409: Stilian Petrov lines up a free-kick on goal but his effort clips the edge of the wall. Villa maintain some pressure thereafter and the hosts do not look that happy before an offside decision goes their way.
1407: Cristiano Ronaldo heads a Ryan Giggs corner from the right over the bar.
1405: United are looking good and Cristiano Ronaldo strides forward but fails to find Henrik Larsson. A subsequent attack results in a corner when Park Ji-Sung's snap shot is blocked.
1402: Henrik Larsson, sporting a close crop, is in on the action on the left-hand side early and he looks sharp. A teasing cross is headed clear by Wilfred Bouma under pressure from Park Ji-Sung.
1401: Manchester United get the afternoon's action under way in this match between two American-owned teams.
1400: Radio Five Live pundit Chris Waddle is not giving Villa much chance of scoring a goal either. Is anyone out there backing Villa?
1358: And it is not just about Henrik Larsson coming up against former Bhoys boss Martin O'Neill. His old Celtic team-mate Stilian Petrov lines up in the Villa side.
1357: With that sort of build-up roll on a shock result. Here come the players.
1356: In the Match of the Day studio Peter Schmeichal, Alan Hansen and Alan Shearer don't give Villa much hope either, although the former England striker mentioned United conceding two goals in each of their last two games. Oh, and he's holding a straw.
1355: And the last time the Premiership leaders lost an FA Cup match at home was almost four years ago against Arsenal.
1354: Leaf through these stats and things just get worse for Villa fans so a shopping trip down the Bullring may be the order of the day. Sir Alex Ferguson has never lost an FA Cup match at this stage of the tournament in his 20 years with the Red Devils.
1352: Villa have actually lost the last four matches against United in the FA Cup, their last success coming in the 1957 final when they won 2-1. Overall, in 10 matches United lead the head-to-head standings 8-2.
1349: If you've a sense of memory you'll recall the 1333 entry detailing United's dominance over Villa, so put two and two together and you know who won.
1348: If you've a sense of deja vu over this first fixture of the afternoon don't worry, you're not going mad. This is the third time these two teams have met at this stage in the last six seasons.
1345: Henrik Larsson is going through his paces with his new team-mates on the Old Trafford turf as the 1400 GMT start approaches. You can also catch the game on BBC One with the Match of the Day team and Radio Five Live as well.
1343: But it is the sight of Henrik Larsson that has caught the imagination following Sir Alex Ferguson's unexpected raid for the Swedish veteran. He will be wearing shirt number 17 as he goes up against old Celtic boss Martin O'Neill.
1339: 'Return of the Jedi' was raking it in at the box offices in 1983 and the visitors will hope Gareth Barry's return helps them to a rare win - stick with it, things might get better! He is the only Villa player to have scored against United in the last 865 minutes of action between these two sides. That's more than nine matches!
Team news:
Henrik Larsson makes his Manchester United debut in attack with Wayne Rooney and Tomasz Kuszczak, Wes Brown, Michael Carrick and Park Ji-Sung are recalled. Aston Villa draft in Aaron Hughes, Isaiah Osbourne and Gareth Barry.
1335: Villa's last win at Old Trafford came when Culture Club were number one with 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me' in November 1983. Peter Withe scored the winner in a 2-1 victory.
1333: And to make matters worse for Martin O'Neill's side, Villa have a woeful record against United who have won 15 of the last 17 meetings, drawing the other two.
1331: Manchester United, who top that list with 11 wins, are first up at Old Trafford against an Aston Villa side who have not won in 10 matches.
1330: It should be a cracking afternoon of FA Cup footballing action featuring eight teams who have lifted the famous old trophy 45 times between them.