West Ham United’s Academy scholars will take on Liverpool, Middlesbrough and Sunderland in the opening round of the new U18 Premier League Cup.
The competition, which has been introduced for the 2017/18 season, will add an extra competitive edge of knockout football to compliment the U18 Premier League schedule.
The U18 Premier League Cup is split into six groups of four teams, with clubs playing each other once in the group stage, either home or away.
Steve Potts’ Hammers have been drawn in Group D alongside U18 Premier League North trio Liverpool, Middlesbrough and Sunderland, and will need to hit top form if they are to progress to the quarter-finals.
The six group winners and the two best runners-up, decided by total points and then goal difference followed by head-to-head record, will advance to the last eight. Group stage fixture dates, kick-off times and venues will be confirmed shortly.
Should the Hammers get through, knockout ties are all one-off matches, decided by extra-time if level after 90 minutes and then penalties if required.
The U18s, who kicked-off their U18 Premier League South campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday, will also compete in the FA Youth Cup. West Ham will enter that competition at the third-round stage in early December.
Meanwhile the U18 Premier League Cup group stage draw will be mirrored by the U16 Premier League Cup, another competition in its debut season, before the knockout rounds are dependent on finishing position within each age category.
U16 Premier League Cup ties will be played on the same dates as the U18 Premier League Cup fixtures.
