MANCHESTER: Manager Alex Ferguson will take nothing for granted ahead of their blockbuster FA Cup tie with Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

For the record, Ferguson has an excellent record in the world's oldest cup competition by winning the trophy on five occasions.

However, last season brought one of his least favourite moments as the Red Devils were dumped out in the third round for the first time since he arrived at Old Trafford in 1986.

Even worse, defeat came at home, at the hands of a Leeds side who were trying to gain promotion out of League One.

So, with the standard of opposition far higher and the rivalry just as intense, Ferguson has no intention of making life easy for the troubled Merseyside giants.

"It was a bad result last season against Leeds, especially considering the rivalry between the two clubs," Ferguson told Inside United.

"In hindsight, I could have picked a stronger team. I won't be making that mistake this time."

Having left defender Rio Ferdinand, striker Wayne Rooney and goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar out of his starting line-up to face Stoke in a Premier League match on Tuesday, Ferguson has experienced options at his disposal.

He also has a former Liverpool player in striker Michael Owen, who was on target for the Reds when they last travelled to Old Trafford for an FA Cup tie in 1999.

That game was remarkable for the fact Liverpool led for 85 minutes, yet contrived to lose thanks to late goals from Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

"I don't forget Owen's goal," recalled Ferguson.

"It was a header and Gary Neville was caught napping at the back post. But we battered them after that."

United famously went on to beat Newcastle in the final, completing the second leg of their momentous treble.

And though United have been to three finals since, they have won just one, when they beat Millwall at Millennium Stadium in 2004.

It is a statistic Ferguson feels needs to be put right.

"It is an important trophy so there is a strong desire to get our hands on it," he said.

"We haven't won it since 2004, or been to Wembley in the final since we lost to Chelsea in 2007. So we definitely want to get back there. And we want to win it."

LONDON: Stevenage boss Graham Westley believes his players have the hunger and desire to cause a major FA Cup upset against Newcastle tomorrow.

Westley only led his side into the Football League last May and they face a Magpies side who sit 73 places above them in the league ladder in a clash at Broadhall Way.

Despite the gulf in class between the sides, Westley remains confident of pulling off a win over Alan Pardew's Premier League men.

Like most lower-league sides, many of Westley's squad began life as apprentices in the top flight and the former Farnborough boss is counting on the lure of a second chance pushing his minnows to victory.

"The mentality my boys will have is that they can play against the top players," he said.

"They have done it before in their careers and they can do it again. Some of them started in the Premier League, made a handful of appearances and were released but you never lose hope of making it back.

"That is a tough mentality to play against and it is up to Newcastle to come out on top."

The clash comes just three days after the Magpies' Premier League clash with West Ham and Westley is adamant that his side will want it more.

"Hunger will play a big part in the game on Saturday, make no mistake," he said.

"If you put two greyhounds in a trap and feed one, nine times out of 10 it is not the better dog that wins but the hungry one and you can take that philosophy into a game like this.

"We will be as hungry as possible. My boys here are not earning £65,000 to £100,000 a week. Far from it.

"They would love to — just look into their eyes — and they are going on show at the weekend. They will be up against internationals, lads who earn that sort of money, and will think that they can dominate them.

"They will put their names on show and dominate the opposition. They will outplay lads who earn tens of thousands a week."