NEWCASTLE UNITED Academy director Joe Joyce expects this evening’s FA Youth Cup quarter-final with Crystal Palace to showcase “one or two” players who will go on to represent the club’s senior side in the near future.

The Magpies’ youth team play Palace at St James’ Park hoping to book a place in a two-legged semi-final against Fulham or Aston Villa and move one step closer to emulating the Paul Gascoigne-inspired side that won the competition in 1985.

Newcastle’s juniors have been in fine form this season, losing just one of their last 16 matches in all competitions.

Joyce is happy with his players’ progress to this point, and is hoping a handful will move to the top of the ladder in the next two or three seasons.

“Hopefully, this team will include one or two of the next generation of players at Newcastle United,” said Consettborn Joyce, who has previously worked as the PFA’s head of coaching.

“We are playing very well at the moment. We have a great belief in them and, more importantly, they have a great belief in themselves.

“With the run we’re on, we have to make sure they’re not becoming over-confident. But at the same time, we are the home side in this game and the onus will be on us to take the game to Crystal Palace. It will be a difficult challenge.”

Newcastle have already beaten Doncaster, Reading and West Ham in this season’s competition, with striker Phil Airey scoring crucial goals in the final two fixtures.

The 18-year-old, who hails from Amble in Northumberland, scored a brace in this month’s reserves game against Leeds, and Joyce expects him to be a pivotal performer tonight in partnership with fellow forward Sami Ameobi.

“Phil is a player in good form,” he said. “He’s a threat.

He wants to score goals and he knows where the goal is.

“But we have players right through the team who can score goals. We are not reliant on one player to put the ball in the back of the net.”

Airey has scored 12 at youth and reserves level this season, and is hoping to earn a full-time professional contract in the summer.

He said: “Chris Hughton has told me to keep battling away and if you do well you get your rewards at the end of the season. Getting a pro contract is the aim, and I know scoring goals will help that.”

■ Kick-off tonight is 7pm and East Stand turnstiles will be open. Admission is £3 adults, £1.50 concessions.