Crystal Palace Under-18s travel to Newcastle United for a highly anticipated FA Youth Cup Fourth Round tie at Whitley Park on Thursday 22nd January (19:00 GMT). Here’s your full lowdown ahead of the clash.
The whole game will be broadcast LIVE on Palace TV+ on Thursday (22nd January), with pre-match content available from 18:00 GMT - click HERE to subscribe now and choose a package that’s right for you.
Can’t watch live? Stay up to date with live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page and look out for the full match report and reaction on our Academy news section shortly after the final whistle.
Highlights will also be available on Palace TV+.
The young Eagles didn’t begin 2026 in the manner they would have hoped, suffering a 3-1 defeat to West Bromwich Albion in the U18s Premier League South – a result which saw Palace relinquish top spot in the division.
Attention now turns firmly to the FA Youth Cup, where Palace progressed impressively in the previous round. Palace secured their place in the Fourth Round with a deserved 3-0 victory over Category Three side Bradford City, played under the lights at Selhurst Park.
On a wet and windy Friday evening (5th December), substitute Stuart Oduro proved decisive, emerging from the bench to score a late quick-fire brace and seal progression.
Victory on Thursday would set up a Fifth Round trip to Stevenage, adding further incentive for the young Eagles.
Newcastle United currently sit third in the U18s Premier League North, having amassed 25 points from 13 matches. The Magpies trail league leaders Manchester City by four points, though the Citizens have two games in hand.
Newcastle boast a proud FA Youth Cup pedigree, having lifted the trophy twice – first in 1962, and again in 1985, when a side inspired by future England star Paul Gascoigne, alongside Joe Allon, etched their names into club folklore.
That history continues to motivate the current group, with the class of 2025/26 firmly targeting a deep run in this season’s competition.
The Magpies booked their place in the Fourth Round with an emphatic 5-2 victory over Portsmouth in last month’s Third Round tie. Matheos Ferreira was the standout performer, scoring a hat-trick as Newcastle showcased their attacking quality.
That result earned Newcastle a home tie against Palace, with the winners set to travel to Stevenage in the Fifth Round.
Newcastle began the season strongly, opening with a 3-0 win over Blackburn Rovers, which sparked a five-match unbeaten run. That sequence included victories over Wolves, Leicester City (Premier League Cup) and Liverpool, alongside a draw against Leeds United.
Their first defeat came against Stoke City, before a difficult spell that included losses to Aston Villa (7-1, PL Cup) and local rivals Sunderland (4-1). However, the Magpies responded impressively, ending October with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest, followed by back-to-back 3-1 victories over Wolves and Everton.
Despite a narrow 2-1 Premier League Cup defeat to Liverpool in late November, league momentum remained strong. A commanding 5-0 victory over Derby County capped a four-match winning run, before Manchester United ended that streak with a 3-0 win in December.
Newcastle bounced back once again to close out 2025 with a 2-1 home victory over Middlesbrough, extending their strong home form. They began 2026 with a narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool.
At this stage of the FA Youth Cup, if a match is level after 90 minutes, 30 minutes of extra time will be played (two 15-minute halves). Should the scores remain level, the tie will be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
George Mair; Henry Johnson (c), Thomas Old, Isaac Moran, Jake Durrant; Matty Taylor, Sam Alabi, Alex O’Donovan; Sammy Pinnington, Michael Mills, Kacey Wooster.
Newcastle named a strong Under-18s side in their FA Youth Cup Third Round victory over Portsmouth, including Sam Alabi, who has previously been named on the first-team bench, Rory Finneran, and England youth international goalkeeper George Mair.
Mason Miley, the younger brother of first-team midfielder Lewis Miley, was also included on the bench. After Jamie and Lewis have already broken into senior football, Mason is the next member of the Miley family to watch closely.
Newcastle have recorded eight wins, one draw and four defeats in the U18 Premier League North this season. Their 29 goals scored rank them fourth in the division, while 21 goals conceded places them fifth defensively.
The Magpies have shown a particular threat at home. Prior to their defeat to Liverpool, they scored five goals in two of their previous three home matches, while their 5-2 FA Youth Cup win over Portsmouth further highlighted their attacking intent.
Forward Kacey Wooster, who joined Newcastle from Southend United at the age of 15, has been a standout performer this season. The Romford-born striker has registered five goals and three assists in eight Under-18s appearances, alongside making his Under-21s debut in August’s Premier League 2 fixture against Chelsea.
Speaking to newcastleunited.com, Wooster admitted the FA Youth Cup represents a major opportunity.
“It would mean a lot to progress further,” he said. “We want to test ourselves against the best and give ourselves the best chance of reaching the final and winning it.
“It’s massive for us – a big opportunity to win a trophy. We want to go on a positive run, play in stadiums with lots of fans and be a team people enjoy watching.”
Newcastle promoted Chris Moore from within, with the former Academy player stepping up from assistant coach to lead the Under-18s. Moore, who also featured for Whitley Bay and Darlington during his playing career, is assisted by James Marwood.
Moore’s coaching journey includes spells with The FA as a skills coach, Durham University, and Sunderland, where he worked across multiple youth development roles. He joined Newcastle in October 2021 and progressed rapidly from Under-15/16 lead coach to Assistant and now Lead Development Coach for the Under-18s.
The whole game will be broadcast LIVE on Palace TV+ on Thursday (22nd January), with pre-match content available from 18:00 GMT - click HERE to subscribe now and choose a package that’s right for you.
Please note that Thursday's match is only accessible to viewers in the UK, due to FA broadcasting rules.
Can’t watch live? Stay up to date with live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page and look out for the full match report and reaction on our Academy news section shortly after the final whistle.
Highlights will also be available on Palace TV+.
Tickets for the match will be available on the night only, with entry via the turnstiles.
Any player guest tickets can be collected from the reception desk in the NUFC Media Centre building, with access then via the turnstiles.
All other spectators should enter directly through the turnstiles, with ticket prices set at £3 for adults and £1 for concessions.
