Football: Anfield welcome home awaits Keegan

TOASTING OLD friends in beer might be non-U but the sponsors of what used to be known as the League Cup appear determined to make it fashionable.

After allowing Kevin Keegan the opportunity to return to the scene of past minor glories at Southampton, the Worthington Cup draw has now granted him a trip back to his spiritual home, Anfield, to test his Fulham side against the two-headed monster that is Liverpool in the third round.

As well as Fulham, the other second-round giantkillers also enjoyed good fortune. Their fellows from the Second Division, Northampton, who put paid to West Ham, were handed a home game against troubled Tottenham, which offers them hope of progressing to another profitable tie. If things do not improve at Spurs before the pair meet in the last week of October, cries of "Cobblers" could come from both ends of the Sixfields stadium.

Cambridge, the sole Third Division survivors who overcame Sheffield Wednesday, face a difficult match at Nottingham Forest.

The trophy holders, Chelsea, among the clubs with European commitments who were given byes into the third round, will play Aston Villa in one of four all-Premiership ties.

Derby, who have made a flying start to their Premiership season, will entertain Arsenal at Pride Park in what is the tie of the round, while Middlesbrough play Everton, with whom they drew 2-2 last weekend, and Leicester, who won the trophy in 1997, travel to Charlton.

Two derbies should provide tremendous entertainment in the North-west and west Yorkshire, Manchester United facing the First Division high-fliers Bury and Leeds having a rare chance to play Bradford City.

Potential pitfalls were presented to Blackburn (at Crewe), Newcastle (at Tranmere) and Wimbledon (at Birmingham).

Draw for third round of Worthington Cup: Middlesbrough v Everton; Norwich City v Bolton; Derby v Arsenal; Crewe v Blackburn; Leeds v Bradford; Luton v Coventry; Tranmere v Newcastle; Birmingham v Wimbledon; Barnsley v Bournemouth; Man Utd v Bury; Charlton Athletic v Leicester; Nottingham Forest v Cambridge Utd; Liverpool v Fulham; Chelsea v Aston Villa; Northampton v Tottenham; Sunderland v Grimsby (Matches to be played during week commencing 26 October).