The competition's Third Round proper - where Premier League and Championship teams enter the fray - kick-starts Palace's campaign in the competition they famously won in 1977 and '78.
Back then, with Kenny Sansom, Terry Fenwick, Jerry Murphy and Peter Nicholas amongst their ranks, Palace's highly anticipated 'Team of the Eighties' overcame Everton and Aston Villa respectively to win the coveted youth trophy in consecutive years.
How to support the Under-18s
Palace fans can access the free live broadcast from 18:45 GMT tonight by signing up for or logging in to their free Palace TV account on desktop via eagles.cpfc.co.uk or on the club's official app.
Fans who live near Reading are also encouraged to travel to the Madejski Stadium, with tickets costing just £3 for adults and £1 for concessions. Tickets can be bought at the stadium, and parking is free and unreserved for all fans.
