Crystal Palace Under-21s will attempt to secure a place in the EFL Trophy knockout stages for the first time in Academy history when they visit Newport County on Tuesday evening, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 GMT.
The Young Eagles sit third in Group E with three points, behind Newport on four and Plymouth Argyle on five. A win in south Wales would guarantee Palace’s progress, giving the team a chance to move beyond the group stage for the first time since entering the competition in 2021/22.
Captain George King believes Palace have the quality to handle the test posed by their League Two opponents. The defender, who has supported the club all his life and joined the Academy at Under-12 level, said the team will need to follow its plan and make the most of its strengths.
King has already made his first-team debut this season against KuPS Kuopio in the UEFA Conference League after being named the Under-21 Player of the Season. An injury interrupted the beginning of the current campaign, but he returned to action after the September-October international break and scored against Anderlecht in the Premier League International Cup.
Although King did not play in Palace’s Group E matches against Swindon Town and Plymouth, he has seen the squad compete against senior opposition. Palace began with a 2-1 win over Swindon, with Caleb Kporha and Seb Williams on target, before losing 5-1 at Plymouth. King is confident those experiences will help the side finish the group stage strongly at Newport.
The match can be streamed in the UK on Sky Sports+, through the Sky Sports app and on NOW, while live commentary will be available via Palace’s Academy X page. A match report and reaction will follow in the Academy news section, with highlights later available on Palace TV+.
