Manchester United striker Michael Owen hopes to see action against former club Liverpool in today's FA Cup tie.
Fit again after a three-month absence, Owen will be hoping Sir Alex selects him for an FA Cup third round clash the striker warns will be far from easy, despite the opposition's poor recent form.
"We're delighted we're at home but we know it's going to be tough," Owen told United Review, the official matchday programme. "That said, I'm sure it's going to be a lot harder for Liverpool.
"It's probably fair to say we'd both have been hoping for an easier path to the next round, but that's the beauty of the FA Cup. Big teams always go out and this year it won't be any different. We just hope it's not us."
He added: "In many ways, some of the shine's been taken away from the FA Cup for the fans, I think. The Premier League and the Champions League are so big now that the FA Cup is forced to take a backseat.
"As a player, it's very much a competition you still want to win. But I'm not sure the whole country stops now, like it did when I was young. It's a shame."
