Manchester United and Chelsea eye FA Cup glory

LONDON, March 8 (Reuters) This season's two best sides in English football will be in FA Cup action this weekend when Premier League leaders Manchester United face Middlesbrough and League Cup winners Chelsea take on Tottenham Hotspur.

United start the quarter-finals at Boro on Saturday, while Sunday features derbies in London and the northwest, where Blackburn Rovers host Manchester City, along with second division Plymouth Argyle's home tie with Watford.

United and Chelsea have been at loggerheads in the league all season and their FA Cup campaigns could yet have an impact on the outcome of the title race.

Chelsea, champions for the past two years, trail Alex Ferguson's men in second place by nine points.

Apart from winning their game in hand, Chelsea's other main chance to close that gap is expected to come at Stamford Bridge on April 15, when they are due to entertain United.

However, that is also the scheduled date of the FA Cup semi-finals, meaning that if either or both clubs come through their next ties, the fixture will be moved.

Chelsea would arguably stand to lose out if it were held towards the end of the season, as it would leave United with fewer games to negotiate.

The prospect of their meeting in the FA Cup semis or even in the final, due to be held at the new Wembley Stadium on May 19, only adds more spice to this weekend's ties.

United can expect a hard time at the Riverside but their 2-1 victory there in December is a better indication of the likely outcome than a freak 4-1 drubbing they received in October 2005.

Their last FA Cup meeting was a 3-0 win for United in January 2005 at Old Trafford, a fourth round tie memorable for two outstanding goals from England striker Wayne Rooney.

United will also be buoyed after securing their place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-0 win over Lille on Wednesday, rounding off a 2-0 aggregate victory.

Chelsea, who also reached the Champions League last eight with Tuesday's 2-1 home win over Porto, should be even more confident of seeing off Spurs.

LINEKER SCORES The Blues have not lost at home to their north London rivals since 1990 -- when current TV presenter Gary Lineker scored Spurs' winner -- and there is nothing to suggest they will waver now.

Ivorian Didier Drogba will be chasing his 30th goal of the season and there should be room for fellow striker Andriy Shevchenko, who had a decent game on Tuesday but will probably be alternated with Salomon Kalou.

Spurs will have had less time to recover than Chelsea from their European campaign -- a UEFA Cup tie in Portugal on Thursday against Braga.

However, older Spurs fans will recall an FA Cup tie their team won 3-2 at the Bridge in 1982, on their way to retaining the trophy lifted in 1981, and even a 2-1 FA Cup final triumph in 1967.

Blackburn should now reach the semi-finals after seeing off League Cup finalists Arsenal in last week's replay.

Mark Hughes's men are on a roll, while City are just one place above the relegation zone after a dismal run of form.

Though underdogs, Plymouth could prove tricky for a Watford side who are second from bottom in the top flight and likely to return to Home Park next season as a second division club.

REUTERS SAM VC1007