Under-18s Lead Coach Oliver Reiss believes our 7-1 league triumph over Newcastle will play a huge role in his squad having a positive attitude in the build-up to our FA Youth Cup game against Crystal Palace.

First half goals from Reigan Heskey, Finlay Gorman, Ryan McAidoo and Dante Headley put City firmly in the driving seat come half-time.

A second half hat-trick from Divine Mukasa meant Logan Watts’ headed effort was just a consolation for the Magpies.

It meant Reiss’s squad returned to winning ways after a 5-3 defeat at Derby County in the Under-18 Premier League Cup the weekend prior.

MATCH REPORT | CITY 7-1 NEWCASTLE

And the German coach expressed the importance of the victory over Newcastle as we now prepare for our FA Youth Cup third-round assignment and Reiss’s managerial debut in the prestigious competition.

“We need a good attitude, a good mood, a good atmosphere of course,” said Reiss.

“Now we almost a week, we have five days in training to prepare for this game and it’s always better to do so after a win, after a victory for a good atmosphere in training and so on so we are very happy with the result.

“I’m very excited! It’s the first game in the FA Youth Cup, it’s another competition and playing in our stadium – and for me the first time.

“So I’m very excited and looking forward to it.”

Watch Reiss’s post-match interview in full via the video above…