MANCHESTER takes centre stage again as FA Cup holders City take on 11-time winners United in a mammoth Third Round clash, to be shown on ITV on Sunday.
In one of only two all-Premier League ties - the other being Newcastle United v Blackburn Rovers - this isn't exactly David v Goliath.
Rather, it's more like Goliath v Goliath - but, nevertheless, the fixture remains fascinating for analysts eager to establish where the balance of power in the city now lies.
Roberto Mancini's City team will go into the game as favourites, having won 13 and drawn one of their 14 games at the Etihad Stadium in all competitions this season.
By contrast, the Red Devils trail their opponents in the league by three points having hit their worst form of the campaign.
As if Manchester United fans will need reminding, Sir Alex Ferguson's team have lost their last two games, conceding six goals in a 3-2 home defeat to Blackburn and a 3-0 away loss to Newcastle at St James Park.
And, of course, City fans will have no trouble recalling that Rovers' win was not the first by an away side in the Premier League this season.
Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko both struck twice, with the other goals scored by David Silva and Sergio Aguero, as City beat United 6-1 to inflict the worst home defeat in 56 years upon their rivals.
But, while everything so far has pointed to a Manchester City win, Manchester United are never more dangerous than when seeking revenge.
The 6-1 humiliation and two recent league losses mean Ferguson's men are very much a wounded animal and, as such, it would be no surprise if they managed a score draw and gained a replay back at Old Trafford.
ALTHOUGH the Manchester derby will undoubtedly take more than an even share of the limelight this weekend, the Third Round draw threw up plenty more interesting ties.
There are several local matches with Birmingham City hosting Wolverhampton Wanderers early on Saturday in the first of the televised games on ESPN.
Across the other side of the Midlands, Nottingham Forest take on Leicester City in an all-Championship tie - while, in the North West, League Two Macclesfield Town will fancy their chances of a notable upset against Premier League strugglers Bolton Wanderers.
In London, there are also a couple of derbies. Dagenham & Redbridge take on Millwall in an early kick-off before Fulham and League One leaders Charlton Athletic cross swords at Craven Cottage.
The biggest London clubs are all at home with Tottenham Hotspur playing Cheltenham Town on Saturday, and Chelsea repeating their 2010 Final against Portsmouth on Sunday.
Ten-time winners Arsenal do not feature until Monday due to television as they reignite their long-standing north-south rivalry with Leeds United at the Emirates.
This fixture had an airing in the FA Cup at this stage last year with the Gunners winning 3-1 in a replay at Elland Road after a 1-1 draw. However, the Yorkshire club will be putting everything into going one better this time.
While Arsenal complete the weekend's action - their match actually taking place after the Fourth Round draw is made on Sunday afternoon - Liverpool kick it off with a match at Anfield against Oldham Athletic on Friday night.
That tie was moved by Merseyside police because Everton were also drawn to play at home against non-league Tamworth.
Indeed, all but one of the four remaining non-league sides are on the road with the lowest-ranked, Salisbury City, away at Bramall Lane to face Sheffield United, and Blue Square Premier leaders Wrexham travelling to Brighton.
As well as the aforementioned Birmingham v Wolves match, another two of the televised ties feature Premier League clubs visiting sides from a lower division.
Managerless League Two stragglers Bristol Rovers will hope to raise their game against Aston Villa on Saturday night, and free-scoring Peterborough United take on Martin O'Neill's rejuvenated Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.
It really would be a surprise for their to be an upset in either of those two games - and so, instead, look no further than Highbury for possible Cup magic.
No, not the one in London which has been turned into blocks of flats, but Fleetwood Town's 5,500-capacity stadium in Lancashire.
Expect a full house as the ambitious Blue Square Premier side take on Blackpool from just eight miles down the coast. If there's a derby worth keeping an eye on this weekend, it's that one...
FULL FA CUP THIRD ROUND FIXTURES
| Friday 6 January | ||||
| 20:00 | LIVERPOOL | 5-1 | OLDHAM ATHLETIC | |
| Saturday 7 January | ||||
| 15:00 | BARNSLEY | 2-4 | SWANSEA CITY | |
| 12:30 | BIRMINGHAM CITY | 0-0 | WOLVERHAMPTON W | ESPN |
| 15:00 | BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION | 1-1 | WREXHAM | |
| 17:30 | BRISTOL ROVERS | 1-3 | ASTON VILLA | ESPN |
| 15:00 | COVENTRY CITY | 1-2 | SOUTHAMPTON | |
| 15:00 | CRAWLEY TOWN | 1-0 | BRISTOL CITY | |
| 15:00 | DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE | 0-0 | MILLWALL | |
| 15:00 | DERBY COUNTY | 1-0 | CRYSTAL PALACE | |
| 15:00 | DONCASTER ROVERS | 0-2 | NOTTS COUNTY | |
| 15:00 | EVERTON | 2-0 | TAMWORTH | |
| 15:00 | FLEETWOOD TOWN | 1-5 | BLACKPOOL | |
| 15:00 | FULHAM | 4-0 | CHARLTON ATHLETIC | |
| 15:00 | GILLINGHAM | 1-3 | STOKE CITY | |
| 15:00 | HULL CITY | 3-1 | IPSWICH TOWN | |
| 15:00 | MACCLESFIELD TOWN | 2-2 | BOLTON WANDERERS | |
| 15:00 | MIDDLESBROUGH | 1-0 | SHREWSBURY TOWN | |
| 15:00 | MILTON KEYNES DONS | 1-1 | QUEENS PARK RANGERS | |
| 15:00 | NEWCASTLE UNITED | 2-1 | BLACKBURN ROVERS | |
| 15:00 | NORWICH CITY | 4-1 | BURNLEY | |
| 15:00 | NOTTINGHAM FOREST | 0-0 | LEICESTER CITY | |
| 15:00 | READING | 0-1 | STEVENAGE | |
| 15:00 | SHEFFIELD UNITED | 3-1 | SALISBURY | |
| 15:00 | SWINDON TOWN | 2-1 | WIGAN ATHLETIC | |
| 15:00 | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | 3-0 | CHELTENHAM TOWN | |
| 15:00 | WATFORD | 4-2 | BRADFORD CITY | |
| 15:00 | WEST BROMWICH ALBION | 4-2 | CARDIFF CITY | |
| Sunday 8 January | ||||
| 15:00 | CHELSEA | 4-0 | PORTSMOUTH | |
| 13:00 | MANCHESTER CITY | 2-3 | MANCHESTER UNITED | ITV1 |
| 15:30 | PETERBOROUGH UNITED | 0-2 | SUNDERLAND | ITV1 |
| 15:00 | SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY | 1-0 | WEST HAM UNITED | |
| Monday 9 January | ||||
| 19:45 | ARSENAL | 1-0 | LEEDS UNITED | ESPN |
THIRD ROUND REPLAYS
| Tuesday 17 January | ||||
| 19:45 | BOLTON WANDERERS | 2-0 | MACCLESFIELD TOWN | |
| 19:30 | LEICESTER CITY | 4-0 | NOTTINGHAM FOREST | ESPN |
| 19:45 | MILLWALL | 5-0 | DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE | |
| 20:00 | QUEENS PARK RANGERS | 1-0 | MILTON KEYNES DONS | ITV4 |
| Wednesday 18 January | ||||
| 19:15 | WREXHAM | 1-1 aet 4-5 pens | BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION | ESPN |
| 20:00 | WOLVERHAMPTON W | 0-1 | BIRMINGHAM CITY | ITV1 |
FOURTH ROUND
| Friday 27 January | ||||
| 20:00 | EVERTON | 2-1 | FULHAM | |
| 19:45 | WATFORD | 0-1 | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | ESPN |
| Saturday 28 January | ||||
| 15:00 | BLACKPOOL | 1-1 | SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY | |
| 15:00 | BOLTON WANDERERS | 2-1 | SWANSEA CITY | |
| 17:15 | BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION | 1-0 | NEWCASTLE UNITED | ESPN |
| 15:00 | DERBY COUNTY | 0-2 | STOKE CITY | |
| 15:00 | HULL CITY | 0-1 | CRAWLEY TOWN | |
| 15:00 | LEICESTER CITY | 2-0 | SWINDON TOWN | |
| 12:45 | LIVERPOOL | 2-1 | MANCHESTER UNITED | ITV |
| 15:00 | MILLWALL | 1-1 | SOUTHAMPTON | |
| 12:00 | QUEENS PARK RANGERS | 0-1 | CHELSEA | |
| 15:00 | SHEFFIELD UNITED | 0-4 | BIRMINGHAM CITY | |
| 15:00 | STEVENAGE | 1-0 | NOTTS COUNTY | |
| 15:00 | WEST BROMWICH ALBION | 1-2 | NORWICH CITY | |
| Sunday 29 January | ||||
| 16:00 | ARSENAL | 3-2 | ASTON VILLA | ESPN |
| 13:30 | SUNDERLAND | 1-1 | MIDDLESBROUGH | ITV |
FOURTH ROUND REPLAYS
| Tuesday 7 February | ||||
| 19:45 | SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY | 0-3 | BLACKPOOL | ESPN |
| 19:45 | SOUTHAMPTON | 2-3 | MILLWALL | |
| Wednesday 8 February | ||||
| 19:45 | MIDDLESBROUGH | 1-2 aet | SUNDERLAND | ITV1 |
FIFTH ROUND
| Saturday 18 February | ||||
| 12:30 | CHELSEA | 1-1 | BIRMINGHAM CITY | ESPN |
| 15:00 | EVERTON | 2-0 | BLACKPOOL | |
| 15:00 | MILLWALL | 0-2 | BOLTON WANDERERS | |
| 15:00 | NORWICH CITY | 1-2 | LEICESTER CITY | |
| 17:15 | SUNDERLAND | 2-0 | ARSENAL | ITV1 |
| Sunday 19 February | ||||
| 12:00 | CRAWLEY TOWN | 0-2 | STOKE CITY | ESPN |
| 16:30 | LIVERPOOL | 6-1 | BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION | ESPN |
| 14:00 | STEVENAGE | 0-0 | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | ITV1 |
FIFTH ROUND REPLAYS
| Tuesday 6 March | ||||
| 19:45 | BIRMINGHAM CITY | 0-2 | CHELSEA | ITV1 |
| Wednesday 7 March | ||||
| 19:30 | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | 3-1 | STEVENAGE | ESPN |
SIXTH ROUND
| Saturday 17 March | ||||
| 12:45 | EVERTON | 1-1 | SUNDERLAND | ITV |
| 17:30 | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | A-A | BOLTON WANDERERS | ESPN |
| Sunday 18 March | ||||
| 14:05 | CHELSEA | 5-2 | LEICESTER CITY | ESPN |
| 16:00 | LIVERPOOL | 2-1 | STOKE CITY | ITV |
| Tuesday 27 March | ||||
| 14:05 | TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR | 3-1 | BOLTON WANDERERS | ESPN |
SIXTH ROUND REPLAYS
| Tuesday 27 March | ||||
| 19:45 | SUNDERLAND | 0-2 | EVERTON | ITV |
SEMI FINAL DRAW Ties to be played at Wembley on 14 & 15 April
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
Liverpool v Everton
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