LEICESTER City manager Martin O'Neill is warning his side to expect a tough FA Cup third round tie at Hereford United.

The Foxes, currently seventh in the FA Carling Premiership, visit Edgar Street over the weekend of December 11.

While Leicester will be overwhelming favourites, O'Neill has experienced the other end of the scale when he managed Wycombe Wanderers so knows how Hereford will be viewing the tie.

He said: "When I was at Wycombe in their non-league days we had a couple of ties against top-flight teams, and I know exactly how Hereford will be treating this opportunity because we relished the prospect back then as well.

"At Wycombe we went out to Norwich City at their strongest, but we played well enough to give them a scare before we were beaten, and I am sure the Hereford camp will be thinking of doing the same to us.

"Every Premiership side respects lower league opposition and we are no different. The pressure is always on the bigger club in these sort of games because none of us wants to be the victim of an upset.

"When I was watching the draw I knew there were some big clubs still in there, like Aston Villa and Leeds. It turned out to be Hereford, but we will be treating this tie with the same attention as we would do if it had been one of the bigger teams."

O'Neill is no stranger to Edgar Street. He played there for Nottingham Forest in the Bulls' one season in the old Second Division in 1976-77 and, as a manager, brought Wycombe to town for a Third Division fixture in 1993-94. He was on the winning side on both occasions.

Rob Elmes, the Bulls' goal hero in Sunday's victory over Hartlepool, also relished the draw. He said: "Priority number one is to get a home draw, and to get a Premiership club like Leicester is a great scoop."

United were still waiting today to confirm the date of the game, although it is likely to be on Saturday, December 11 after Sky Television selected the Tottenham v Newcastle tie as their live game on the Sunday.