This year’s Barclays U18 Premier League is set to be the most exciting yet, with a new league format revealed that will give youngsters new challenges this season.

The first game kicks off on 17th August, the same day that the senior Premier League season makes it’s bow. Arsenal v Liverpool is the highlight of the opening day clashes, with West Ham United v Manchester United sure to be an interesting encounter as well.

The new format will see category one academies split into two regional groups, north and south, of 11 teams each. These 11 teams will play each other home and away before playing one fixture against each side from the opposing regional group, either home or away generated by the fixtures computer, meaning a total of 31 fixtures.

The top two from each group will go on to play in a semi-final then final format.

The northern group contains the following teams: Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Sunderland, Stoke City and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The southern group goes from the midlands downwards and contains: Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Fulham, Leicester City, Norwich City, Reading, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, West Bromwich Albion and West Ham United.

The Youth Radar will have full coverage of the season with league tables, fixtures and news on all 22 clubs across the two regional leagues.

2013/14 News

– Last minute equaliser prevents Villa win against Man City

– Man City beat Liverpool to tighten grip on the top

– Fulham beat arch rivals Chelsea

– Everton thrash Newcastle

– Bolton end Man City winning streak

– Fulham stay top after Spurs draw

– City, Liverpool and Chelsea all win

– Chelsea hit Reading for six

– Liverpool 3-1 Manchester United

– Man City go top

– United leapfrog Everton while Leicester shock Spurs

– Everton stick at the top after Wolves win

– Sunderland shock Spurs

– Fulham keep up pressure on Tottenham at the top of the southern divison

– Manchester City hit six past Newcastle and Spurs go top of the league

– Spurs lose their first game of the season against West Ham

– Manchester derby finishes honours even

– Spurs maintain 100% record in southern group

– Chelsea beat Liverpool in six-goal thriller

– Fulham and Sunderland share eight goals in entertaining draw

– Manchester United edge out Arsenal

– Spurs recover from three goals down to beat Blackburn

– United and City top of Northern table

– Fulham maintain 100% record at Arsenal’s expense

– Manchester United beaten by West Ham on opening day

– Arsenal and Liverpool kick off Barclays U18 Premier League tomorrow

– Barclays Under 18 Premier League fixtures released