FA Cup holders Arsenal will kick off their attempt to retain the trophy with a third round tie against Sunderland in January.

Arsene Wenger’s side defeated Sunderland 3-1 in the Premier League on Saturday and just 48 hours later they were paired with the Black Cats in Monday’s draw for the third round.

The Gunners, who routed Aston Villa in last year’s final, will host the tie at the Emirates Stadium as they start on the road to Wembley in a bid to win the competition for a third successive year.

Elsewhere in the draw, new Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was handed a trip to fourth tier Exeter in his first taste of the competition following his recent arrival as replacement for the sacked Brendan Rodgers.

Manchester United, who haven’t won the Cup since 2004, take on League One outfit Sheffield United at Old Trafford, while troubled Chelsea will host the winner of a second round replay between Leyton Orient and Scunthorpe.

There are several all-Premier League ties, with surprise leaders Leicester travelling to Tottenham.

Manchester City head to Norwich, Southampton entertain Crystal Palace and Watford host Newcastle.

Part-timers Whitehawk have been handed a possible trip to Everton if the sixth tier side get through their second round replay at home to League Two club Dagenham and Redbridge.

Three other non-league teams feature in the draw.

The lowest-ranked among them, Salford City of the seventh tier – co-owned by former Manchester United stars Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Nicky Butt and brothers Gary and Phil Neville – will host Championship high-fliers Derby if they can get past League Two team Hartlepool in their second round replay.

Eastleigh, the only one of the non-league sides to have made it through outright, were handed a home tie against Championship strugglers Bolton, while Grimsby will travel to Cardiff if they can beat Shrewsbury.

Draw for the English FA Cup third round:

Watford vs Newcastle

West Brom vs Bristol City

West Ham vs Wolves

Salford or Hartlepool vs Derby

Exeter vs Liverpool

Tottenham vs Leicester

Colchester vs Charlton

Peterborough vs Preston

Northampton vs Milton Keynes Dons

Arsenal vs Sunderland

Newport vs Blackburn

Ipswich vs Portsmouth

Birmingham vs Bournemouth

Wycombe vs Aston Villa

Sheffield Wednesday vs Fulham

Oxford vs Swansea

Brentford vs Chesterfield or Walsall

Bury vs Bradford

Manchester United vs Sheffield United

Everton vs Dagenham or Whitehawk

Southampton vs Crystal Palace

Eastleigh vs Bolton

Nottingham Forest vs QPR

Carlisle vs Yeovil

Chelsea vs Leyton Orient or Scunthorpe

Doncaster vs Stoke

Leeds vs Rotherham

Cardiff vs Grimsby or Shrewsbury

Huddersfield vs Reading

Middlesbrough vs Burnley

Norwich vs Manchester City

Hull vs Brighton

Ties to be played between Jan 8 and 11

Source AFP