The real FA Cup third round draw will take place from 7pm on Monday evening
In a simulation of the draw, Leicester City got drawn away at Manchester United
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By ROBERT SUMMERSCALES
Published: 09:56 EST, 2 December 2024 | Updated: 09:56 EST, 2 December 2024
The third round draw for this season's FA Cup will take place from 7pm on Monday night.
It will be broadcast live on BBC Two and will see all 20 teams from the Premier League and all 24 from the Championship discover where their road to Wembley will begin.
But The Sun could not wait until 7pm so decided to simulate the draw for a bit of fun.
The results were pretty exciting, especially for Ruud van Nistelrooy as his Leicester City side were drawn away to Manchester United.
Van Nistelrooy scored 150 goals in 219 games for United during his playing career before returning to Old Trafford in a coaching role last summer.
He was then promoted to the position of interim manager in October after United sacked Erik ten Hag.
The draw for the third round of the FA Cup will take place on Monday evening from 7pm
The draw will feature 64 teams, all dreaming of ending the season with a very famous trophy
A simulation of the draw saw Ruud van Nistelrooy's Leicester paired with Manchester United
Van Nistelrooy oversaw four games in the United dugout, winning three of them - including two victories over Leicester - 5-2 in the Carabao Cup and 3-0 in the Premier League.
But Van Nistelrooy left United after Ruben Amorim was appointed as Ten Hag's permanent replacement and he then took the Foxes job late last month.
The Sun's simulated draw also produced a big game for Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney, whose current side were handed a home clash with his boyhood club Everton.
Elsewhere, Manchester City got an easy-looking away game at League One Mansfield - potentially a perfect outcome for Pep Guardiola's men, who have not been able to win any of their last seven games in all competitions.
Meanwhile, there was an eye-catching London derby between Brentford and Arsenal.
Other standout ties included Charlton vs West Ham, Reading vs Liverpool and Preston vs Tottenham.
SIMULATED FA CUP DRAW
Middlesbrough vs Salford City
Stockport vs Stoke
Preston vs Tottenham
Tamworth vs Leyton Orient
Sheffield United vs Doncaster
Birmingham vs Peterborough
Portsmouth vs Coventry
Man United vs Leicester
Oxford United vs Hull
Dagenham & Redbridge vs QPR
Plymouth vs Everton
Southampton vs Harrogate Town
Newcastle vs Norwich
Charlton vs West Ham
Blackburn vs Ipswich
Bournemouth vs Sheffield Wednesday
Wycombe vs Wigan
Brighton vs Aston Villa
Lincoln vs Morecambe
Millwall vs Sunderland
Bristol Rovers vs Bromley
Watford vs Burnley
Luton vs Derby
West Brom vs Crystal Palace
Brentford vs Arsenal
Exeter City vs Fulham
Accrington vs Cardiff
Bristol City vs Swansea
Reading vs Liverpool
Leeds vs Nottingham Forest
Mansfield vs Man City
Wolves vs Chelsea