Manchester United under-21s will begin their 2023/2024 EFL Trophy campaign away to Stockport County on Tuesday, August 22.
Mark Dempsey's side will head to the southern past of Greater Manchester for the opening clash, with kick-off pencilled in for 7.30pm.
The Young Reds made it through to the third round last season before they were beaten 4-0 by League One outfit Bolton Wanderers in December.
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They will face Bolton again this season, having been drawn together in Group E during last months draw, while League Two Salford City - part-owned by several Class of '92 members including Gary Neville and Paul Scholes - complete the all-Greater Manchester quartet.
United are one of 16 invited under-21 teams from England's top sides in the Premier League and Championship, with the remainder of the competition made up of sides across the Football League. Other youth outfits in the northern section include Everton, Liverpool, Leicester, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Wolves.
Following the opening game week in August, group stage matches will be arranged at one per month until December, at which point the Round of 32 will get underway.
The under-21s only other organised fixture this far is a pre-season friendly with Altrincham town on Sunday July 30, while an academy side is expected to take on Wrexham in San Diego on July 25.
Dempsey's young Reds will be part of a revolutionary under-21 campaign next season, with teams voting to incorporate both divisions into a one-tier, Swiss-style format, as first reported by Youth Hawk last month.
