Crystal Palace Under-18s return to league action on Saturday (21st February, 11:00 GMT) when we travel to Leicester City, looking to build on the momentum from our U18 Premier League Cup quarter-final win at Peterborough.
The match will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ on Saturday (21st February), with coverage beginning at 11:45 GMT ahead of a 12:00 GMT kick-off – click HERE to find out more and subscribe.
Supporters can follow live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page, with a full match report and reaction published shortly after full-time in our Academy news section.
Highlights and extended reaction will be available on Palace TV+.
Crystal Palace Under-18s secured a place in the U18 Premier League Cup semi-finals thanks to Donte Martin’s quick-fire brace on Tuesday (17th February) at Peterborough's Idverde Training Ground.
It was a frenetic start, with Palace absorbing early pressure from the Posh. Josh Muwana made two crucial blocks to keep the scores level, while goalkeeper Lucca Benetton was also called into action.
As the half progressed, the young Eagles asserted themselves, creating chances through Mylo Bernard, David Angibeaud, and Chuks Okoli. Stuart Oduro rattled the crossbar before Muwana reacted quickest in a goalmouth scramble to give Palace the lead before halftime.
Peterborough equalised on 55 minutes through Boluwatife Shofowoke after a swift counter-attack, but Palace quickly regained control.
Substitute Martin turned the tie on its head with two goals in as many minutes – first volleying home Daniel Owoade’s low cross, then rifling in from close range following a neat build-up involving Euan Danaher and Angibeaud.
Palace dominated the remainder of the match, with Benetton making another key one-on-one save to preserve the lead. Martin’s brace proved decisive, sealing a well-deserved victory.
In league action, meanwhile, Palace drew 1-1 with Tottenham in the U18 Premier League South on Saturday. Donte Martin opened the scoring before Oliver Boast equalised on the stroke of half-time. Palace pushed for a late winner, with Bernard and Angibeaud going close, while Jamar Lee made his U18 competitive debut.
The stalemate leaves Palace third on 28 points, but Spurs are narrowly ahead in second on 31, having played a game more. Chelsea remain top on 33 points with a game in hand, though their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa keeps Palace firmly in the title race.
Leicester City sit seventh in the U18 Premier League South on 24 points, having played the maximum 17 games – joint with Birmingham as the only sides to reach the full quota. Southampton and Aston Villa trail closely behind, with 22 and 25 points respectively.
After finishing second-bottom last season, Leicester began their 25/26 campaign strongly, winning five of their first six games to reach third in the table. However, they have since managed only two wins in ten matches.
Among the top nine teams, they have scored the fewest goals (31), and with captain and top scorer Lorenz Hutchinson increasingly featuring for the U21s, the Foxes could be without the player responsible for nearly half of their goals.
Leicester City Expected XI: Marson; Aideed, Diallo (c), Adedeji, Toko; Colangelo-Allen, Manyumba, Lawrence, Boothe, Owusu, Fletcher
Adam Barradell tends to rotate his squad while keeping a core backbone. Potential inclusions could be Fabien Simons for Jack Fletcher in defence, Christian Boothe making way for Hugo De Lisle in midfield, and either of Joseph Corden or Joseph Colangelo-Allen in the middle of the park.
Leicester have seven wins, three draws, and seven defeats. Their 31 goals scored are the lowest among the top nine teams, while 30 conceded leaves them just outside the top half. They are winless in their last five matches, last winning 2-1 against Arsenal in the 2026 curtain-raiser.
Lorenz Hutchinson is Leicester’s talisman, contributing 14 goals and four assists this season. The 17-year-old has impressed with his physicality, goal-scoring instinct, and maturity in possession.
He scored 41 goals and 14 assists in 29 appearances last season, earning a professional contract in September. Hutchinson’s form continues to attract attention from top-flight clubs across England and indeed Europe.
Leicester U18 Head Coach Adam Barradell brings nearly two decades of experience in elite youth development, from academy foundations to international football.
Known for his hands-on approach, he nurtures individual creativity while ensuring tactical understanding. Barradell also serves as U19 Assistant Coach for Northern Ireland, combining club and international experience to develop Leicester’s next generation.
The match will be streamed LIVE on Palace TV+ on Saturday (21st February), with coverage beginning at 11:45 GMT ahead of a 12:00 GMT kick-off – click HERE to find out more and subscribe.
Supporters can follow live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page, with a full match report and reaction published shortly after full-time in our Academy news section.
Highlights and extended reaction will be available on Palace TV+.
Leicester City Under-18s v Crystal Palace Under-18s
