A certain pressure lifted, for sure, but might it just have felt a hint of loneliness this morning, our old friend The Fixtures Computer, as it prepared to spit out the first Premier League schedule of the post-Fergie era? Nobody took greater interest in its work than Fergie. Nobody was better able to detect malice in its algorithms or parse a conspiracy out of its sequences.

MARK HUGHES marked his home debut as QPR boss with a win as the Premier League side edged past MK Dons 1-0 in their FA Cup third-round replay last night.

Liverpool and Manchester United have been drawn together at Anfield in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Barclays Premier League top two Manchester City and Manchester United will meet in a mouth-watering FA Cup third-round tie.

Manchester City and Manchester United will face off in the third round of the FA Cup after today's draw.

Emile Sinclair scored twice as League Two minnows Macclesfield topped the bill on a night of Carling Cup upsets with a 2-0 win over npower Championship Hull at the KC Stadium tonight.

CRAIG BELLAMY set Cardiff on their way to reclaiming the second automatic promotion place in the Championship as rivals Swansea and Norwich both drew last night.

Today’s Barclays Premier League matches at Wigan and Liverpool have both fallen foul of the weather, the clubs have confirmed.

Sheffield Wednesday started their npower League One campaign with a 2-0 victory over Dagenham & Redbridge.

JON NURSE’S scrambled goal gave Dagenham & Redbridge a remarkable promotion and victory in a pulsating Coca-Cola League Two play-off final at Wembley yesterday.

The cold snap continued to bite in the UK this afternoon as a raft of sporting fixtures fell prey to the sub-zero conditions sweeping the country.

Blizzards and plummeting temperatures across the UK have already claimed a number of the weekend’s sporting fixtures with more set to follow later in the day.

A LAST-GASP goal from Craig Mackail-Smith gave Peterborough a 1-0 win over Ryman Premier side AFC Hornchurch in the first round of the FA Cup yesterday.

MANCHESTER UNITED will have to conquer a familiar foe if they hope to erase the memory of their FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea last season.

Manchester United will again travel to Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup.

Total Produce, the company recently spun off from Fyffes, has bought UK fresh produce company Redbridge Holdings in a deal worth up to €23m.

Dublin City manager Roddy Collins has former Northern Ireland international Keith Rowlands and West Ham United's Shaun Byrne set to make their debuts tonight as the Vikings' travel to Leeside to take on Cork City in the eircom League (7.45pm).

FA Cup second round draw (after Tuesday's first-round replays)

FA Cup Third round latest:

Dagenham and Redbridge boss Garry Hill takes his team into a glamorous FA Cup home clash with Premiership Ipswich at Victoria Road tomorrow - but insists his team’s priority must remain the Conference.

Late FA Cup game ends scoreless

Half-times in FA Cup second round

Charlton captain Mark Kinsella has continued his return to fitness after keyhole surgery on his knee by making an appearance for the reserves.