Blackburn Rovers' coach Mark Hughes. - Reuters

LONDON (Reuters):

The prospect of Chelsea facing Manchester United in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley Stadium came a step closer yesterday when they were kept apart in the draw for the semi-finals.

Although neither team is yet through to the last four after drawing their quarter-finals at the weekend, United will face Watford in a record-equalling 25th semi-final appearance if they beat Middlesbrough in their replay at Old Trafford next Monday. They drew 2-2 at Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Chelsea, who drew 3-3 with Tottenham Hotspur in their quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, will play Blackburn Rovers if they beat Spurs in their quarter-final replay at White Hart Lane next Monday.

Neutral grounds

The semi-finals will be played at neutral ground on the weekend of April 14-15 with the final at Wembley on May 19.

Chelsea were the last club to win the FA Cup final at the old Wembley Stadium in 2000 when they beat Aston Villa 1-0, while Manchester United have won the FA Cup a record 11 times.

United are currently top of the Premier League, nine points clear of Chelsea, who have a game in hand and still have hopes of winning the title for the third successive year.

The two clubs are also in the last eight of the Champions League but have been kept apart in the draw for the quarter-finals and semis made in Athens last week.

If results went their way in both the FA Cup and in the Champions League, they could meet each other in the finals of both competitions within four days in May.

However, Spurs, Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Watford will no doubt have other ideas.

Tottenham, who let a 3-1 lead slip in the last 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge, ended a 16-year winless streak against Chelsea in the league when they beat them 2-1 at White Hart Lane last November, and were the better team for more than an hour against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Blackburn, who last won the FA Cup in 1928 and last reached the final in 1960, are through to their second semi-final in three seasons under Mark Hughes ? who won the FA Cup with both Chelsea and Manchester United in his playing career.

Watford, who have appeared in one FA Cup final, losing to Everton in 1984, could become only the fifth club to be relegated and appear in the FA Cup in the same season.

The last team to do that was Middlesbrough, relegated in 1997 when they lost to Chelsea in their only FA Cup final appearance.