NORWICH TO HOST PORTSMOUTH IN FA CUP

Norwich City will host current League One leaders Portsmouth in the FA Cup third round.

The draw was made live on BBC One this evening, with former FA Cup winners Paul Ince and Ruud Gullit conducting the draw. The ties are due to be played on the weekend of January 4-7, with the winners claiming £135,500 after prize money was doubled for this season.

The tie will sit in between two Championship away matches, at Brentford on Tuesday, January 1 and West Brom on Saturday, January 12, with the date not yet confirmed.

Norwich have gone out of the FA Cup in the third round in each of the last five seasons, losing in a penalty shootout at Chelsea after taking the Premier League giants to a replay last season.

Portsmouth have bounced back from financial implosion, having won the FA Cup in 2008 as a Premier League side and then been beaten in the final by Chelsea in 2010.

The south coast side were promoted as League Two champions in 2017 and after finishing eighth in League One last season are currently leading the way under the guidance of former Wolves boss Kenny Jackett.

Pompey have lost just once in the league during the current campaign, picking up 44 points from a possible 57 in the third tier so far.

After winning 4-0 at non-league Maidenhead in round one of the FA Cup they sealed their place in the third round with a 1-0 win at fellow League One side Rochdale on Saturday, thanks to a 90th minute goal from Andre Green.

The clubs have met on 58 occasions previously in league and cup but only once in the FA Cup, in the third round in 1950, when Pompey were the champions of England and Norwich were in Division Three South.

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