MIDDLESBROUGH were handed the toughest FA Cup third-round draw of the North-East sides left in the competition as they were paired with Premier League Brighton.

Boro will host the Seagulls at the Riverside Stadium on the weekend of Saturday, January 7 after this evening’s third-round draw.

The two sides met in an FA Cup tie on Teesside as recently as January 2018, when a last-minute winner from Glenn Murray earned Brighton a 1-0 win.

Newcastle United will face League One opposition in the third round as they will head to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday.

It will be the Magpies’ first meeting with the Owls since April 2017, when they went down to a 2-1 defeat during their Championship title-winning campaign.

Sunderland also face a trip to League One opposition as they will head to Montgomery Waters Stadium to face Shrewsbury Town.

The Shrews currently sit in 16th position in the League One table, but are unbeaten in their last three home meetings with the Black Cats.

Hartlepool United booked their place in the third round with a home win over Harrogate Town at the weekend, and Keith Curle’s side will host Championship side Stoke City.

Pools, who currently prop up the League Two table, knocked Stoke out of the FA Cup in 2009 when they claimed a 2-0 third round win at the Suit Direct Stadium.