Stam set for Old Trafford reunion in FA Cup third round

Stam represented United for three years between 1998 and 2001, helping the club to a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble in 1999.

Former Manchester United defender Jaap Stam

Manchester United will meet a familiar face in the third round of the FA Cup when Jaap Stam's Reading visit Old Trafford.

Stam represented United for three years between 1998 and 2001, helping the club to a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble in 1999.

He was then sold to Lazio with reports at the time suggesting the decision was taken due to Stam criticising manager Alex Ferguson and some of his United team-mates in his book, although the Scot later clarified it was due to sporting reasons.

The Dutchman has made a good start to life as Reading manager and his side sit third in the Championship, although they were beaten 5-0 by Fulham at the weekend.

United, whose 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Wembley in May saw them tie with Arsenal on 12 FA Cup wins, have endured a disappointing start to the Jose Mourinho era and are sixth in the Premier League.

Under-pressure West Ham manager Slaven Bilic would have hoped for a decent cup run to take the pressure off  the Hammers' poor league form, but the team must negotiate its way past Manchester City in Pep Guardiola's first taste of the FA Cup.

There are three other all-Premier League ties, while Chelsea and Liverpool have favourable home draws.

Chelsea host either Peterborough United or Notts County, while the Reds will take on Newport Country or Plymouth Argyle at Anfield.

Arsenal, who won back-to-back FA Cups in 2014 and 2015, visit Preston North End.

Sutton United's reward for knocking out Cheltenham Town is a home draw against AFC Wimbledon, while fellow National League side Barrow are at home to Rochdale.

Stourbridge, who play in the seventh tier, are the lowest-ranked team left in the competition and will visit Wycombe Wanderers if they can beat Northampton Town in a rescheduled second-round tie.

Ties will be played between January 6 and 9.

 

FA Cup third-round draw in full:

Ipswich Town v Lincoln City or Oldham Athletic Barrow v Rochdale Manchester United v Reading Hull City v Swansea City Sunderland v Burnley QPR v Blackburn Rovers Millwall v Bournemouth West Ham v Manchester City Brighton and Hove Albion v MK Dons or Charlton Athletic Blackpool v Barnsley Wigan Athletic v Nottingham Forest Birmingham City v Newcastle United Chelsea v Peterborough United or Notts County Middlesbrough v Sheffield Wednesday West Brom v Derby County Everton v Leicester City Liverpool v Newport County or Plymouth Argyle Wycombe Wanderers v Stourbridge or Northampton Town Watford v Burton Albion Preston North End v Arsenal Cardiff City v Fulham Stoke City v Wolves Cambridge United v Leeds United Bristol City v Fleetwood Town or Shrewsbury Town Huddersfield Town v Port Vale Tottenham v Aston Villa Brentford v Halifax Town or Eastleigh Bolton Wanderers v Crystal Palace Norwich City v Southampton Sutton United v AFC Wimbledon Accrington Stanley v Luton Town Rotherham United v Oxford United or Macclesfield Town