The FA Cup will lose one of the big favourites at the third-round stage, with Liverpool and Arsenal in opposition in tonight's tie, and several more Premiership clubs face the prospect of an early exit.
Apart from four all-Premiership ties the others are Portsmouth v Wigan, Manchester United v Aston Villa and Everton v Blackburn with five Premiership teams face testing trips to Championship grounds.
Birmingham host Newcastle and it would not be the biggest upset if the Championship side emerged victorious. Birmingham's recent form is good (12 wins and two draws from their last 17 in all competitions) and that includes two Carling Cup ties against Premiership opposition which they won 4-2 at Sheffield United in the first and were beaten 1-0 at home by Liverpool in the second. Newcastle represent a standard of opposition somewhere between the two and Birmingham should be very competitive, making them a decent handicap bet.
Manchester City are used to cup shocks and they could suffer another at in-form Sheffield Wednesday. City went out to League One side Oldham at this stage two years ago and have been dumped out of the Carling Cup by lower-league opposition for the past two seasons. Wednesday have been in great form for new manager Brian Laws and are worth backing on the handicap. Other Premiership teams worth opposing on the handicap away to Championship sides are Tottenham (at Cardiff), Middlesbrough (at Hull) and Fulham (at Leicester).
Liverpool rate the best chance among the all-Premiership ties, with Arsenal still struggling to find their best away form. Liverpool are strong at home (13 wins and two draws from 15 games in the Premiership and Champions League this season) and have beaten Arsenal twice at Anfield under Rafael Benitez.
Most of Europe is busy with cup action, but Spain's Primera Liga resumes with an exciting line-up. Leaders Sevilla travel to fifth-placed Real Zaragoza, while Real Madrid attempt to end their hoodoo against Deportivo.
