We’re about to get a double dose of Manchester United vs Liverpool.

The famous rivals will face off in the Premier League next weekend, and now, thanks to Peter Crouch’s cup draw tekkers, they will clash again a week later at Old Trafford, in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

English football’s two most successful sides have had more than their fair share of battles over the years. They’ve won 41 league titles between them, taking it in turns to dominate English football – whether it was Liverpool’s success under Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley and Kenny Dalglish or Manchester United’s rise to prominence and Sir Alex Ferguson.

But while their hammer-and-tongs league history has carried over into the 2020s, with Liverpool taking the initiative under Jurgen Klopp, cup meetings between the side have been fewer and farther between.

When did Liverpool and Manchester United last meet in the cup?

While the two actually most recently met in the 2015/16 Europa League, their last meeting in a domestic cup competition, came back in 2013, when a strike from Javier Hernandez sent David Moyes’ team through to the fourth round of the League Cup.

To find their last meeting in the FA Cup, you have to go back 20 months further, when they met at Anfield in – you guessed it – the fourth round.

Daniel Agger and Dirk Kuyt, who loved a goal against the Red Devils, sent United packing on their way to the final against Chelsea, which would be Kenny Dalglish’s final match in charge.

FA Cup Head-to-Head Record

Delve any further into the FA Cup history between the two clubs, however, and things start to look a little hairy for the Reds. That Kuyt-inspired win was one of just four FA Cup meetings between the two Liverpool have won in their entire history. United have won nine.

If you’re worried that’s a bad omen, then look away before we get into their away record against United in the FA Cup.

Astonishingly, Liverpool haven’t beaten their rivals away in the competition since 12 January 1921. The draw for this year’s fourth round was made in 11 January 2021 – one day shy of being exactly 100 years on.

One of the most famous FA Cup meeting between the teams came in the final in 1977. Paisley’s Liverpool were the favourites, having already won the league, but were caught out by Tommy Docherty’s United, who ended any hopes the Anfield giants had of finishing the season with a treble.

That started a long run of FA Cup hoodoo for Liverpool, who wouldn’t beat United again in the competition until 2006.

United also won the only other FA Cup final featuring the pair, when Eric Cantona’s strike won the game in 1996.

As the two prepare for a present day cup classic, neither team looks quite like the dominant force they have been in the past, yet it has rarely been more finely poised.

Their meeting in the Premier League, which comes a week earlier, might well determine who goes in as favourite,. But where these two are concerned, form can be safely thrown out the window.

It’s their first FA Cup meeting in almost eight years and it should be a cracker.

Brighton required penalties to defeat League Two Newport County during an eventful day on FA Cup third round action.

In the 90th minute, Brighton thought they had won it when Solly March whipped a wicked effort past the impressive Tom King. However, six minutes into second half stoppage time, Newport equalised when Adam Webster diverted the ball into his own net.

Extra time could not separate the two teams with 52 league places between them at kick off, meaning things had to be decided by penalties.

After five spot kicks each the scores were level at 2-2, sending the shootout to sudden death. In the second round, the game was finally settled when Webster made up for his previous error by rolling home the winning penalty, taking advantage of Scott Bennett’s miss.

Elsewhere, Leeds suffered an embarrassing defeat at the hands of League Two Crawley Town, with second half goals from Nick Tsaroulla, Ashley Nadesan and Jordan Tunnicliffe earning the Reds a famous 3-0 win.

There was never much danger of Tottenham suffering a similar fate at the hand of eighth tier Marine. After their hosts rattled the bar midway with 20 minutes played, Spurs made their extra quality count with Carlos Vinicius netting a hat trick and Lucas Moura curling in a free kick before half time.

After the break, Alfie Devine added another to seal a 5-0 win, becoming his side’s youngest ever goalscorer in the process.

Manchester City made similarly light work of Birmingham City as Bernardo Silva (x2) and Phil Foden grabbed the goals, while Chelsea were also victorious, besting Morecambe 4-0 thanks to strikes from Mason Mount, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Kai Havertz, as well as a first goal in 13 games for Timo Werner.

Elsewhere, Barnsley defeated Tranmere Rovers 2-0 and a late Chris Martin stunner gave Bristol City a 2-1 win over League One Portsmouth. Cheltenham also progressed, beating Mansfield Town 2-1 after extra time.

For the teams that made it through, attention now turns to Monday’s draw for both the fourth and fifth round. The ties will be determined ahead of West Ham’s trip to Stockport County with the event kicking off at 19:10 (BST).

The fourth-round fixtures are set to be held across the weekend of 23 January, while the fifth round will take place on Wednesday 10 February.