The young Magpies are one of 16 Category One academies invited to enter an under-21 side into this season's competition and were drawn alongside Bradford City, Rotherham United and Mansfield Town in Group H of the Northern Section.

United's second-string will travel to Valley Parade to face Bradford on Tuesday, 3 September (kick-off 7.30pm BST) before taking on Rotherham - who finished at the foot of the Championship table last term - at the New York Stadium on Tuesday, 8 October (kick-off 7pm BST).

United's youngsters will then face an away trip to Mansfield Town, who the young Magpies faced in the 2021/22 competition, at the One Call Stadium on Tuesday, 29 October (kick-off 7pm GMT).

Last term, Newcastle were unable to progress from a group featuring Wrexham, Port Vale and Crewe Alexandra but in 2018/19, they won all three of their group games before beating Macclesfield Town via penalties at St. James' Park to set up a last-16 tie against Sunderland, who came out on top at the Stadium of Light in front of a crowd of over 16,000 spectators.