THE date has been set for Saints’ mouthwatering EFL Cup tie against Pompey at Fratton Park – Tuesday, September 24.

Kick-off will be 7.45pm.

This will only be the second League Cup tie between the south coast’s arch-rivals, Saints having won the previous encounter 2-0 at St Mary’s in December 2003 – which was also the first match between the sides for eight seasons.

It will be the first time the two sides have met since Saints’ promotion from the Championship seven years ago.

In April 2012, they drew 2-2 at St Mary’s. Billy Sharp’s second goal gave Saints an 89th-minute lead, only for David Norris to equalise in the last minute.

Saints’ last visit to Fratton Park was in December 2011, when Rickie Lambert gave Saints a 63rd-minute lead before Joel Ward’s late equaliser earned Pompey a 1-1 draw.

Saints last won at Fratton Park in January 1984. Their most recent win against Pompey was in January 2005, a 2-1 victory in the fourth round of the FA Cup thanks to a last-minute Peter Crouch penalty.