Man United U21s to face National League side play-offs losers in pre-season clash

Manchester United U21s will face National League side Rochdale in a pre-season fixture (via the club’s official website).

The match is scheduled for August 2 with the kick-off time set at 15:00 BST.

Both sides last met in an EFL Trophy clash at the Crown Oil Arena in 2020, a year after which the Dale met the first team at Old Trafford in the Carabao Cup.

The game ended in a goalless draw after the normal time, but Rochdale triumphed on penalties.

The encounter is expected to help prepare the team for next season’s Premier League 2.

Rochdale will pose a stern test for Travis Binnion’s side. They finished fourth in the league last term and qualified for the play-offs, where they lost to Southend United.

The National League outfit could also be further along in their preparations for the new season than United. Their first pre-season game is scheduled for July 12 against FC United of Manchester.

By contrast, there has been no confirmed friendly encounter for the U21s before they face Jimmy McNulty’s side.

The clash might also help them get ready for the 2025/26 EFL Trophy, where United have been placed in a difficult group.

United are in Group D of the Northern section of the tournament. They will face League One pair Barnsley and Lincoln City, plus League Two outfit Notts County.

Although the three teams play in higher divisions than Rochdale, the clash still allows the young Reds to face older opponents.

United have confirmed that more details on the U21s’ pre-season schedule will be confirmed at the appropriate time as they seek to avoid last season’s disappointment in the new campaign.

They lost to local rivals Manchester City in the Premier League 2 play-offs semi-final and were knocked out of the EFL Trophy at the group stage.

Article written by Henry Thornton .