Ferguson v. Dalglish in Sunday's FA Cup derby

Kenny Dalglish will be in the Liverpool hot seat on Sunday as the troubled Scousers visit Old Trafford in a hotly-anticipated third round F.A Cup tie. The Reds parted company with Roy Hodgson on Saturday and have appointed Dalglish as interim boss until the end of the season.

United’s third round clash with fierce rivals Liverpool has added spice after the Anfield club sensationally sacked Hodgson on Saturday.

The multilingual former Fulham boss has struggled since taking the Liverpool job with the five-time European Cup winners currently sitting only three points above the top-flight drop zone.

Sunday’s Cup clash had been touted as Hodgson’s last-chance saloon – one final chance to save his job after a torrid number of months in the role.

However, the 3-1 defeat at Blackburn proved the last straw for Liverpool’s American owners. Hodgson has been shipped out – and Dalglish appointed until the end of the season.

It adds another dimension to Sunday's 1.30pm kick-off as United look to continue a fine run of form.

Wayne Rooney and Edwin van der Sar face late fitness tests for the table-topping Reds, whilst defender John O'Shea and midfielder Paul Scholes have been ruled out.

Amazingly, Sunday's contest is the only all Premier League clash of the third round. United go into the game 11 places above Liverpool in the league table; having beaten the Merseyside club 3-2 at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

Sir Alex Ferguson would love nothing more than to dampen Kenny Dalglish’s spirits and lead United into the fourth round of the world’s greatest Cup competition.

The Red Devils have lost only one of thirty competitive games this season – and enter this clash as big favourites with the bookmakers.