Sir Alex Ferguson will hope that familiarity does not breed contempt among his players after Manchester United were drawn against Aston Villa in one of four all-Barclays Premier League ties in yesterday’s FA Cup third-round draw.

It is the fourth time in seven seasons that the teams have been paired, though with United, last season’s losing finalists, having won the three previous matches by a single goal, they have little reason to fear another trip to the Midlands. Indeed, taking into account FA Cup semi-finals, United have played eight cup-ties at Villa Park in the past ten years without being beaten.

A last-minute winner from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer gave United a 2-1 win over Villa at Old Trafford in last season’s third round, though Martin O’Neill insists that his side are far stronger than they were then.

“It’s incredible that we should get Manchester United again,” O’Neill said. “They showed us what a fine side they are when they beat us 4-1 in the league [in October], but we’ve had some big matches at Villa Park this season. This tie will be another epic with a full house. I will say this, though, we’re better-equipped now to take on Manchester United than we were in the third round last season.”

In an otherwise uninspiring draw, the three other top-flight ties are Tottenham Hotspur against Reading, Sunderland against Wigan Athletic and West Ham United against Manchester City.

Chelsea will begin their defence of the trophy with a West London derby at home to Queens Park Rangers, while Arsenal have a potentially awkward trip to Burnley. Liverpool could play Nottingham Forest in the Cup for the first time since the Hillsborough disaster if Colin Calderwood’s side beat Luton Town in a delayed second-round tie.

The potential for big upsets appears limited, though Middlesbrough, the struggling Premier League side, will not relish another visit to Bristol City after scraping through on penalties in a fourth-round replay against them last season.

The one nonleague club definitely in the third round, Havant & Waterlooville, suffered the anticlimax of being drawn away to the winners of the replay between their fellow minnows, Horsham, and Swansea City.

“It’s disappointing, but it’s absolutely a winnable game,” Shaun Gale, the Havant manager, said. “No disrespect to Horsham, but we would prefer Swansea.”

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