The game at the Canaries’ Colney training centre will be the young Magpies’ first outing of 2018, after last Monday’s home game against Middlesbrough was called off due to a frozen pitch at Whitley Park.

United return to Premier League 2 Division Two action in a rich vein of form, having won their last four matches in all competitions – a run stretching back to the end of November, when they beat Swansea City 6-3 in the Premier League Cup.

Since then, the second string have seen off Colchester United in the Central League Cup and West Bromwich Albion in the league, as well as Blyth AFC in the Techflow Marine Northumberland Senior Cup.

Another victory against Norwich could see the Magpies climb as high as seventh in the table, and possibly leapfrog their opponents this weekend.

The reverse fixture between the sides finished 2-2 earlier this season, with Luke Charman and Macaulay Gillesphey on target for the hosts at St. James’ Park.

United last visit to Colney, in their first league game of last season, ended in victory, with a Haris Vuckic brace and a Gael Bigirimana penalty sealing the points.