The FA Cup Third Round draw took place on Monday, with Premier League and Championship clubs in the hat for the first time this season.
Rotherham United are the only club in South Yorkshire to already be knocked out after they lost 2-1 to Ian Holloway’s Swindon Town at the start of November.
League One sides Barnsley and Doncaster will be aiming to build on their momentum and reach the fourth round, something they have only achieved four times between them since 2020.
Here’s what to expect from each South Yorkshire club ahead of the January fixtures.
Liverpool vs Barnsley
After bypassing York City and Peterborough United in the early rounds, Barnsley face a tough away clash against Premier League holders, Liverpool.
Conor Hourihane called the tie “one that everyone can look forward to”, but despite Liverpool’s recent dip in form, the Reds remain heavy favourites at Anfield.
Barnsley will have to be disciplined and clinical to cause an upset on one of football’s biggest stages.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Brentford
Wednesday will be looking for some respite away from the Championship, having won just one game amid a torrid start marred by difficulties off the pitch.
They might be unlikely to find it in their third round opponents, however, as they also face a stern test at home against Brentford.
The West London club have become an established Premier League outfit since promotion in 2020/21, despite losing major players and manager Thomas Frank along the way.
The two sides met in the EFL Cup last season, with the Bees edging a win on penalties, despite Premier League stars like Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa featuring.
Head coach Henrik Pedersen will hope his players can enter the tie without the weight of expectation in order to break through an organised Brentford team.
Sheffield United vs Mansfield
Chris Wilder was keen to reassure fans that the Blades won’t underestimate their League One opponents, Mansfield Town, in the FA Cup third round.
“Nothing changes at all. You get hurt if you shortcut anything and if you take anything for granted- it’s not what I want the players to be about.”
He didn’t hesitate to praise Mansfield, recalling a previous cup tie at Middlesbrough where they were their “toughest opponents” despite a win away at Old Trafford in the same run.
The Stags’ route to the third round saw them beat Harrogate Town and Accrington Stanley but their positive cup form has been surrounded by four straight league defeats.
Sheffield United will not pull any punches in their efforts to progress, and will be mindful that poor league form doesn’t always translate into the cup.
Doncaster Rovers vs Southampton
After winning their first three games, newly promoted Doncaster sit just outside the League One drop zone, picking up just two wins in the division since the start of September.
They’ll be hosting Southampton, who after starting poorly in the championship this season, have now earned 18 out of a possible 21 points under new coach and Manager of the Month, Tonda Eckert.
Last season, the two teams were separated by three divisions, and with only one division separating them this season, Doncaster have a chance to play with the shackles off and cause an upset at home.
The draw hands South Yorkshire clubs some tasty fixtures against strong opposition, with Barnsley’s trip to Anfield standing out as the pick of the bunch. The third round promises to be an exciting time for South Yorkshire football, and time will tell who will progress in the competition.
