The draw for the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup, made at Wembley today, has thrown up some mouth-watering contests.
Amongst the pick of the ties Liverpool, winners in 2006 and 2007 and runners-up last season, travel to Leicester City who have made a blistering start to the Academy League season.
Further down the draw Burnley’s youngsters will be relishing the prospect of facing Manchester United at Turf Road while their Lancashire neighbours Preston North End have been rewarded for knocking out last year’s finalists Manchester City, with a tough assignment in the North East against Sunderland.
In the Midlands, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa will go head to head while Nottingham Forest will host the winners Charlton Athletic or Chelsea.
The draw in full for the Fourth Round of the FA Youth Cup is as follows:
- Stoke City v Hull City
- West Ham United v Queens Park Rangers
- Torquay United or Millwall v Barnsley
- Blackburn Rovers v Leyton Orient
- Bolton Wanderers or AFC Bournemouth v Stockport County or Fulham
- Reading v Newcastle United
- Northampton Town or Brighton & Hove Albion v Everton
- Tottenham Hotspur v Portsmouth
- Crystal Palace v Derby County
- Leicester City v Liverpool
- West Bromwich Albion v Aston Villa
- Burnley v Manchester United
- Hartlepool United v Watford
- Nottingham Forest v Charlton Athletic or Chelsea
- Sunderland AFC v Preston North End
- Arsenal or Crewe Alexandra v Ipswich Town
All ties to take place in January 2010.