FA Cup third round draw simulated: Arsenal and Chelsea…

FA Cup third round draw simulated: Arsenal and Chelsea get dream ties, Liverpool to face Everton

One of the most anticipated dates in the footballing calendar is upon us.

The draw for the FA Cup third round is set to take place following this weekend's second round ties and this is the stage where Arsenal, the other 19 Premier League clubs - including holders Liverpool - and all 24 EFL Championship clubs enter the fray as their fate will soon be revealed.

In truth, there weren't too many shock results from round two. National League pair Boreham Wood and Chesterfield were the toast of non-league as they beat Bristol Rovers and AFC Wimbledon respectively, whilst League Two Grimsby Town overcame League One Cambridge United.

Interestingly, of the 20 second round ties, only two have gone to a replay - Charlton vs Stockport and Dagenham & Redbridge vs Gillingham - which means 62 teams are confirmed for the third round including Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Newcastle United.

The draw is set to take place this evening between 7pm and 7:30pm and it will be shown live on BBC Two and across the competition's social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) from Anfield Stadium, which is, of course, the home of the last season's FA Cup winners Liverpool.

Unlike draws for European competitions, there is no seeding for the FA Cup, meaning anyone can be pitted against anyone, raising the prospect of some very exciting and intriguing ties. So who could the Gunners and their fellow London rivals such as Chelsea and Tottenham get in the third round?

We used a knockout stage simulator to determine who might get who in the draw, and the results were fascinating.

Should this simulation become a reality, it's safe to say Arsenal and Chelsea will be happy having been paired with Burton Albion and Stevenage respectively with them both having home advantage. Furthermore, the same applies to Spurs as they got a Rotherham side that may include Gunners loanee Brooke Norton-Cuffy.

Elsewhere, the simulator served up a repeat of the 2004 final with Manchester United facing Millwall, Manchester City were paired with Sheffield United and arguably the tie of the round would see Liverpool begin their defence in a Merseyside derby against Everton.