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Young Magpies Learn Cup Opponents
Written by Newcastle Utd
The draw for the Premier League Cup group stage has been made, with Newcastle United drawn in Group A
By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter
The draw for the Premier League Cup group stage has been made, with Newcastle United drawn alongside Southampton, Swansea City and Bristol City in Group A.
Peter Beardsley's Magpies Under-23 side will face their group rivals home and away in the newly-reformatted competition, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knockout phase.
United will face three lengthy trips in the early stages of the competition, with the dates for clashes with Martin Hunter's Saints, Cameron Toshack's Swans and Jamie McAllister's Robins to be announced in due course.
Previously known as the Under-21 Premier League Cup, the Premier League Cup will be contested by under-23 sides, with rules permitting the use of three over-age players and a goalkeeper born before 1st January 1993.
The new style of the competition mirrors the Champions League in part, with 32 teams set to battle it out in the group stage, though the round of 16, quarter-finals and semi-finals will all be single-legged, knockout ties, as will the final.
Reading (2013/14), Southampton (2014/15) and West Ham United (2015/16) are the three previous winners of the competition.
Premier League Cup draw in full
Group A
Newcastle United
Southampton
Swansea City
Bristol City
Group B
Sunderland
Cardiff City
Blackburn Rovers
Burnley or Watford*
Group C
Manchester City
Colchester United
Derby County
Hull City
Group D
Everton
Norwich City
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Portsmouth or Barnsley*
Group E
Leicester City
Brighton & Hove Albion
West Ham United
Nottingham Forest
Group F
Middlesbrough
Charlton Athletic
Fulham
AFC Wimbledon
Group G
Liverpool
Huddersfield Town
West Bromwich Albion
Ipswich Town
Group H
Reading
Sheffield United
Stoke City
Birmingham City
*subject to the outcome of the Premier League Cup qualifying round ties