Scottish League Cup: St Johnstone & Dundee Utd drawn in same group

St Johnstone and Dundee United drew 1-1 on the Premiership's opening day this season

St Johnstone and Dundee United are the only two Scottish Premiership teams who will face each other in this season's League Cup group stage.

There will also be a Renfrewshire derby after St Mirren and Morton were drawn in the same group.

Championship rivals Hearts and Raith meet, too, having fought in the courts over the summer.

Scotland's European entrants - Celtic, Rangers, Motherwell and Aberdeen - are excluded from this stage.

However, Highland League champions Brora Rangers and Lowland League counterparts Kelty Hearts do take part.

Each team will play four matches, starting in early October, with the eight group winners and four best runners-up reaching the last 16 on 28/29 November.

Specific fixture dates, including those games shown on Premier Sports, are yet to be confirmed.

League Cup group stage draw

Group A: Hearts, Inverness CT, Cowdenbeath, Raith Rovers, East Fife

Group B: Hibernian, Dundee, Forfar Athletic, Brora Rangers, Cove Rangers

Group C: St Johnstone, Dundee United, Peterhead, Brechin City, Kelty Hearts

Group D: Ross County, Arbroath, Elgin City, Stirling Albion, Montrose

Group E: Kilmarnock, Dunfermline Athletic, Clyde, Dumbarton, Falkirk

Group F: Hamilton Academical, Ayr United, Stranraer, Albion Rovers, Annan Athletic

Group G: St Mirren, Morton, Queen of the South, Partick Thistle, Queen's Park

Group H: Livingston, Alloa Athletic, Stenhousemuir, Airdrieonians, Edinburgh City