Manchester United will travel to Blundell Park to face League Two club Grimsby Town in the second round of the 2025/26 Carabao Cup.
The Red Devils find themselves entering the competition at this early stage after failing to secure European football for just the second time since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.
The tie is scheduled for the week commencing August 25, sandwiched between tricky Premier League games against Fulham (24 August) and Burnley (30 August).
United will feature this early in the competition for the first time since 2014.
Grimsby Town secured progression to the second round after beating Shrewsbury 3-1.
United last faced Grimsby in a competitive fixture in March 1948.
The Old Trafford outfit are the six-time winners of the competition, with their latest triumph coming under Erik ten Hag in 2023.
First-half goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford sealed a crucial victory at Wembley, ending United’s six-year trophy drought.
Manager Ruben Amorim may use the clash with the League Two side as a perfect platform to unleash fringe players desperate to catch his eye.
With no European football, he faces a tough task keeping every player content with game time.
Winning a cup competition could be a main aim for Amorim and his coaching staff.
Even during a decade of underachievement, United have still out-trophied the Premier League’s ‘big six’ rivals like Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
United fans will hope that Amorim gives them another chance to boast by the conclusion of the forthcoming campaign.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com