It was one of five all-Premier League matches to come out of the hat with Blackburn Rovers also hosting Birmingham City, Tottenham Hotspur at home to Middlesbrough, Reading entertaining Liverpool and Fulham at home to Bolton Wanderers.
Chelsea, who beat Arsenal to win the cup last season, travel to second division Hull City while Manchester United host Coventry City, the early second division pace-setters.
Martin O'Neill, the Aston Villa manager, will face one of his old clubs after his side were drawn at home against Nottingham Forest or Leicester City.
O'Neill played for Forest and managed City and is likely to be at the City Ground on September 18 when the teams replay the second-round match that was abandoned at halftime on Tuesday after Leicester defender Clive Clarke suffered a heart attack.
The third-round ties will take place the week starting September 24.