Planet Sport

Liverpool will face local rivals Everton in a repeat of the 1989 FA Cup final 20 years after the Hillsborough disaster.

The two Merseyside clubs were today paired in the cup's fourth round for a game to be played over the weekend of January 24.

The draw will revive memories of that tragic 1988-89 season which ended with Liverpool and Everton meeting in the final at Wembley, won 3-2 by Liverpool.

The final was considered to be the perfect match to mark the tragedy in Sheffield, which led to the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans as a result of events at the April 15 semi-final with Nottingham Forest.

In the weeks between the semi-final and final, Liverpool players, and manager Kenny Dalglish, attended many funerals of fans who had died at Hillsborough.

Liverpool star Jamie Carragher has this week already highlighted the significance of this year and the 20th anniversary of the tragedy.

He said: "It will be 20 years since Hillsborough, and that is something we are all obviously aware of.

"Because of that there will be extra significance attached to the competition for us. Going on to win it would be the perfect tribute to those who died."

Liverpool and Everton will meet twice in a week after their numbers came out of the hat first in today's draw at the Football Association's Soho Square offices.

They are already set to meet at Anfield on Monday, January 19, in a Barclays Premier League clash.

And in the midst of this double collision of Merseyside giants, Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is due in court after the alleged nightclub incident in Southport on Monday.

Gerrard faces charges of assault and affray at Sefton magistrates court on January 23.

There is already the prospect of one of the fourth round ties taking place on that Friday night.

Liverpool have already made it known that they will resist any change of fixture that will see them playing on the same day as Gerrard's court appearance, which would rule him out of any such match.