Liverpool v Man Utd
Anfield
Saturday 18 February
Fifth Round
Kick-off: 1230 GMT (on BBC1 from 12.10)
Referee: Howard Webb (Yorkshire)
Replay: Wednesday, 15 March (2000 GMT)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez must decide whether to recall keeper Jose Reina or keep faith with Jerzy Dudek.
Peter Crouch (heel) is a doubt, Robbie Fowler is Cup-tied and Stephen Warnock (groin), Daniel Agger and Jan Kromkamp (ankle) are all fitness concerns.
Manchester United have reported a clean bill of health for the trip to Anfield, with keeper Edwin van der Sar and winger Ryan Giggs back in training.
Skipper Gary Neville is also available after missing the Portsmouth game.
KEY MATCH STATS
LIVERPOOL and Manchester United get the ball rolling on FA Cup fifth round weekend, with this Saturday lunchtime clash at Anfield in front of live BBC television "Match of the Day" cameras. The reigning European champions may have won the world's oldest football tournament six times, and been beaten finalists six times, but astonishingly, they've been knocked out on eight of the 10 times when pitted against the Red Devils. Indeed the Merseysiders have not beaten United in this competition since 1921.
The form of Rafa Benitez' Reds is picking up after a four-match winless League run interspersed only by victory over Portsmouth in the previous round. They beat Wigan away 0-1 last weekend, and Arsenal at home midweek by a similar score through a late goal from Luis Garcia. Liverpool have not been beaten at Anfield in a dozen League and Cup contests since Chelsea visited on 2 October. This is their first home tie in the FA Cup this season. Prior to the victory at Fratton Park in the previous round, they were involved in the most extraordinary match of the competition so far, winning 3-5 at Luton.
The Merseysiders are aiming to reach the last eight for the first time since going all the way in 2000/01. That was their only appearance in the showpiece since the final has been staged away from Wembley. It was a victorious one, beating Arsenal 2-1 in the first to be held at the Millennium Stadium. Gerard Houllier's charges pulled the game out of the fire with two late strikes from Michael Owen.
MANCHESTER UNITED must rely on an almighty slump by Chelsea if they're going to catch the Premiership champions. They've also had their European dreams dashed, so Sir Alex Ferguson's side are now relying on a domestic Cup double for silverware from this campaign. A visit to the Millennium Stadium to face Wigan in the Carling Cup next weekend awaits, but preceding that there is this testing task against the club just one place and three points inferior in the Premiership's top three.
The Red Devils have lost only twice in 18 League and Cup engagements. That includes the embarrassment of being held by Burton in the third round, but they atoned with a 5-0 success in the replay - one of six victories in their last seven outings. United eased past Wolves at Molineux in the last round, and are now setting their sights on knocking out Liverpool for the eighth time in eight FA Cup meetings since 1948 - two of which required replays. United have won three and drawn one of their last four matches against Liverpool in all competitions, and have been beaten in only one of seven - a Danny Murphy penalty separated the sides in the Premiership match at Old Trafford on 24 April 2004. The first of this season's League meetings resulted in a goalless draw at Anfield in September.
United won 1-0 at the Theatre of Dreams last month with Rio Ferdinand's 90th minute winner, followed by Gary Neville's controversial goal celebration. Neville will be 31 on match day.
Manchester United are the most successful club in FA Cup history. They've won the tournament a record 11 times and made 17 appearances in the final. Sir Alex Ferguson, in his 20th year in charge, has steered his side to triumphs in 1990, 1994, 1996, 1999 and 2004. He lost the final in 1995 to Everton, and last year to Arsenal when United became the first side ever to lose the final on penalties in what was the first such showpiece since 1912 to finish goalless after extra time.
HEAD TO HEAD
Comp Total Liverpool Man Utd Draws
League 146 49 54 43
FA Cup 14 2 8 4
FA CUP MEETINGS
Date Rnd Res
12 Feb 1898 R2 Newton Heath 0-0 Liverpool
16 Feb 1898 R2 R Liverpool 2-1 Manchester Utd
07 Feb 1903 R1 Manchester Utd 2-1 Liverpool
18 Jan 1921 R1 Liverpool 1-1 Manchester Utd
12 Jan 1921 R1 R Manchester Utd 1-2 Liverpool
24 Jan 1948 R4 Manchester Utd 3-0 Liverpool
30 Jan 1960 R4 Liverpool 1-3 Manchester Utd
21 May 1977 FNL Liverpool 1-2 Manchester Utd
31 Mar 1979 SF Manchester Utd 2-2 Liverpool
04 Apr 1979 SF R Manchester Utd 1-0 Liverpool
13 Apr 1985 SF Manchester Utd 2-2 Liverpool
17 Apr 1985 SF R Manchester Utd 2-1 Liverpool
11 May 1996 FNL Liverpool 0-1 Manchester Utd
24 Jan 1999 R4 Manchester Utd 2-1 Liverpool
LIVERPOOL
3rd PREM
Best FA Cup record
WINNERS (six times)
Date Rnd Res
01 May 1965 FNL Leeds United 1-2 Liverpool AET
04 May 1974 FNL Liverpool 3-0 Newcastle
10 May 1986 FNL Everton 1-3 Liverpool
20 May 1989 FNL Everton 2-3 Liverpool AET
09 May 1992 FNL Liverpool 2-0 Sunderland
12 May 2001 FNL Arsenal 1-2 Liverpool
Last season's FA Cup exit point
Date Rnd Res
18 Jan 2005 R3 Burnley 1-0 Liverpool
This season's Cup run
Date Rnd Res
07 Jan 2006 R3 Luton T 3-5 Liverpool
29 Jan 2006 R4 Portsmouth 1-2 Liverpool
MANCHESTER UNITED
2nd PREM
Best FA Cup record
WINNERS (11 times)
Date Rnd Res
24 Apr 1909 FNL Bristol City 0-1 Man United
24 Apr 1948 FNL Blackpool 2-4 Man United
25 May 1963 FNL Leicester C 1-3 Man United
21 May 1977 FNL Liverpool 1-2 Man United
21 May 1983 FNL Brighton 2-2 Man United AET
26 May 1983 FNL R Brighton 0-4 Man United
18 May 1985 FNL Everton 0-1 Man United AET
12 May 1990 FNL Crystal Palace 3-3 Man United AET
17 May 1990 FNL R Crystal Palace 0-1 Man United
14 May 1994 FNL Chelsea 0-4 Man United
11 May 1996 FNL Liverpool 0-1 Man United
22 May 1999 FNL Man United 2-0 Newcastle
22 May 2004 FNL Man United 3-0 Millwall
Last season's FA Cup exit point
Date Rnd Res
21 May 2005 FNL Arsenal 0-0 Man United AET
Arsenal won 5-4 on penalties
This season's Cup run
Date Rnd Res
08 Jan 2006 R3 Burton Alb 0-0 Man United
18 Jan 2006 R3 R Man United 5-0 Burton Alb
29 Jan 2006 R4 Wolves 0-3 Man United