Preston North End's Carabao Cup first round opponents confirmed as Gary Neville's Salford City

The game will take place on the week commencing 7 August, just a few days after North End open their campaign with an away trip to Bristol City.

It will be the first time that the two sides have met, with very contrasting histories. PNE have a long and famous history, with an invincible season winning the football league and FA Cup in 1889.

Salford on the other hand were a North West Counties side as recently as 2008. A now famous takeover in 2014 saw a consortium led by Manchester United’s ‘Class of 92’ take charge, with Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Nicky Butt all involved. David Beckham joined the ownsership group too, later down the line, and could make a return to Deepdale – ff he’s not too busy with his other club Inter Miami, and their new signing Lionel Messi.

Salford have since seen a meteoric rise through the divisions, securing four promotions in just five years taking them into the football league - under former Lilywhite Graham Alexander. There has been plenty of change at the club since the ‘Class of 92’ took over, a change of the club’s colours from tangerine to red, a change of badge, a change of home and changes to pretty much every area of the club as they have turned professional and gone toe to toe with the likes of Bradford City.

But the Ammies will be looking to secure promotion in League Two this time around, having just missed out on the play-offs last season, and are not a side for PNE boss Ryan Lowe to take lightly.

Their current squad also boasts a North End fan, Elliot Watt, who was named in the League Two team of the season last time out.

The game is due to take place on either the Tuesday or Wednesday after the Championship season starts, and potentially just a day after Liverpool are due to host a friendly at Deepdale during their pre-season schedule, though that has not yet been confirmed by either club.