FA Cup announce never-before-seen fixture after freak draw as police forced to intervene

EVERTON fans will have to make a Thursday night trip to Crystal Palace for their FA Cup third-round tie.

The Selhurst Park clash has been moved to January 4 at 8pm after talks between the Metropolitan Police and The FA.

AP

A new fixture has been introduced to the FA Cup[/caption]

Getty

Everton will face Crystal Palace on a Thursday night[/caption]

There were concerns from The Met after ten London teams were drawn at home in the third round, stretching their resources.

Palace’s meeting with The Toffees, which will be shown on ITV, kicks off the FA Cup action for the third round, with two other all-Premier League ties in the capital spread across the weekend.

It is believed to be the first time in history that an FA Cup match has been played on a Thursday night as tradition is broken.

Burnley visit Tottenham on the Friday night for another 8pm kick off on ITV while Arsenal vs Liverpool has been scheduled for 4.30pm on Sunday and will be shown on the BBC.

The Tyne-Wear derby at Sunderland (ITV) and Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa (BBC) have both been picked for TV on Saturday, January 6 while Wigan vs Manchester United will be shown on Monday, January 8 on ITV.

Elsewhere in the FA Cup, the first-round clash between Forest Green Rovers and Scarborough Athletic is set to be replayed.

This is due to the League Two outfit fielding and illegible player in the original clash.

Protocol could be broken in that game as there will be no replay if it ends in a draw with a winner to be decided on the night.

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Maidstone United, who play in the sixth tier, will not be shown as they face Stevenage or Port Vale.

And non-league Alfreton Town need to overcome Walsall in a replay to earn a trip to Southampton – but that will also not be shown on tele.

The selections made by the broadcasters have been slammed by fans as the lower league clubs have been snubbed from a mega-money payday.

The FA Cup was won by Manchester City last season as they beat cross-city rivals Manchester United in the final at Wembley.

FA CUP THIRD-ROUND DRAW IN FULL

• Luton vs Bolton
• Shrewsbury vs Wrexham or Yeovill
• Arsenal vs Liverpool
• Stoke vs Brighton
• Norwich vs Crewe Alexandra
• West Ham vs Bristol City
• Tottenham vs Burnley
• Fulham vs Rotherham
• West Brom vs Aldershot or Stockport
• Southampton vs Alfreton or Walsall
• AFC Wimbledon or Ramsgate vs Ipswich
• Peterborough vs Leeds
• Millwall vs Leicester
• Watford vs Chesterfield or Leyton Orient
• Sunderland vs Newcastle
• Sheffield Wednesday vs Cardiff City
• Crystal Palace vs Everton
• Middlesbrough vs Aston Villa
• Nottingham Forest vs Blackpool or Forest Green Rovers
• Wigan vs Man Utd
• Man City vs Huddersfield
• Blackburn vs Cambridge
• Gillingham vs Sheffield United
• Swansea City vs Morecambe
• Chelsea vs Preston North End
• QPR vs Bournemouth
• Coventry City vs Oxford United
• Brentford vs Wolves
• Plymouth Argyle vs Sutton United
• Maidstone United vs Stevenage or Port Vale
• Newport County or Barnet vs Eastleigh or Reading
• Hull City vs Birmingham City