FA Cup 3rd Round
Villa Park
Saturday 5 January; KO: 17:15 BST

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Manchester United meet Aston Villa in the FA Cup Third Round for the fourth time in seven seasons on Saturday.

Last season, the Reds won with an injury-time winner from
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.







Will there be more late drama this time?


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Form guide:


While


picked up nine points from a possible 12 over Christmas, Sir Alex's side never really hit top gear.
There's something about Villa Park, however, that seems to bring out the best in United.



also did well over the festive period,
winning a point at Stamford Bridge and beating Wigan and Spurs.


Ins and outs:






John Carew
aside, Martin O'Neill should have a full squad to choose from, while

's
only major doubt comes in the form of

Carlos Tevez (ankle)

The Reds should welcome back Edwin van der Sar (groin) and Wayne Rooney (virus).


Star men:


Brummy boy

Gabriel Agbonlahor
will undoubtedly be Villa's main threat.

As for the Reds, don't bet against

Ryan Giggs
conjuring another vintage Villa Park memory in the FA Cup.


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BIG-MATCH FACTS


Aston Villa and Manchester United are meeting for the second successive season at the third round stage.

Between them, these clubs have won the FA Cup 18 times.

One of four all-Premier League ties in this third round.

United have gained 10 successive victories on the Villa Park turf
(six Premier League trips, FA Cup third round ties in 2002
and 2004 and FA Cup semi-finals against Arsenal in 2004, and Watford in 2007).

The last two of those victories have been by 4-1 margins:


Against Watford

&


Against Villa
in the league match on 20 October


The League ladder

Manchester United are five places higher than Villa in the league standings.

Premiership Table:



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Current form

• Won the last two, after five without victory

Recent FA Cup performance

• Been third round victims in five of the last six seasons.

FA Cup fact

• Villa's Charlie Wallace was the first player to miss a penalty in an FA Cup final (1913).





Current form

• Won seven and lost one of the last eight in all competitions.

Defeat to West Ham in their most recent away match on 29 December,
is the only time points have been dropped in seven league outings.

Recent FA Cup performance

• Last season's runners-up are the most successful club in the history of the competition, reaching the final on an unparalleled 18 occasions.

Recent FA Cup performance

• Won the cup five times under Sir Alex Ferguson, who has led out the side for the final on eight occasions.

Sir Alex has never lost a third round tie;
this is his 21st.

FA Cup fact

• Bournemouth were the last club to knock out United at the third round stage (in 1984).
Spurs were the last top division to defeat them in the third round in 1980.

HEAD TO HEAD