The tie of the Third Round of the FA Cup sees Manchester United play host to Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday, kick-off at 13:30 hours (GMT).The Anfield club, who are struggling in the Premier League, will be hoping that the form book goes out of the window in the FA Cup. Premier League leaders United have been almost unstoppable in all competitions with just one loss all season. The Red Devils only defeat was in the Carling Cup to West Ham as a weakened side went out to the Londoners.

There will a new manager sat in the away dugout in Manchester on Sunday after Liverpool FC and Roy Hodgson parted ways. “Both parties thought it in the best interests of the club that he stand down,” said American owner John W Henry in a statement on the club's website.

Former player and manager Kenny Dalglish has been placed in charge of the team until the end of the season. King Kenny as he is known by the Anfield faithful enjoyed a six year spell as manager between 1985 and 1991.

Liverpool’s last win at the Theatre of Dreams dates back to March 2009 when the Reds won 4-1. On that day Fernando Torres, who has scored twice in three appearances at Old Trafford, helped the Reds to a record-breaking win over their fierce rivals.

The home side took the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo who scored from the spot. But Fernando Torres hounded Vidic into a mistake before beating Edwin van der Sar to level for the visitors. The number ‘9’ then found Gerrard in the box, who was then sent tumbling by Evra just as he was controlling Fernando’s pass. The captain converted the resulting penalty-kick to put the Reds ahead 2-1. Second-half goals from Aurelio and Dossena made it Man United’s biggest home defeat in 17 years.

Sir Alex Ferguson has several injuries worries ahead of the weekend clash with Ferdinand, Rooney, Van der Sar and O’Shea all facing late fitness tests. Man U will also be without Scholes, Valencia and Hargreaves who are all definitely out. The Man U boss will also be without Park who is at the Asia Cup.

With Gerrard, Agger and Cole all returning in recent outings, the new Liverpool manager has just only one player out injured for the north-west derby with Carragher still on the treatment table.

The Mancunians have won ten and drawn one out of their last eleven home matches, in stark contrast to Liverpool’s away form where the Merseysiders have struggled on the road all season losing four of their last six matches. The Reds poor record away from home continued this past week with a 3-1 defeat last time out at Blackburn Rovers.

The two heavyweights of English football have played 25 games in the FA Cup, with ten wins for Man U to eight for Liverpool; with the remaining seven games ending in a draw.

The last FA Cup meeting between the two clubs was a 1-0 victory at Anfield for Liverpool during the 2005/2006 campaign. That season the Reds went on to win the FA Cup in beating West Ham in the final played at The Millenium Stadium in Cardiff.

Both clubs surprisingly went out in Round Three last season with Man United losing to Leeds United and Liverpool going out in a replay to Reading. On Sunday one of the two teams will suffer the same fate with the other progressing into the next round of club football’s oldest knock-out tournament.