Premier League grant Man Utd fixture request as Old Trafford to undergo major change

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Manchester United requested that their first game of next season be away from home due to Old Trafford undergoing a major change. The Premier League released United's fixtures for the 2026-27 season on Friday morning.

Michael Carrick's side will start their campaign by taking on newly-promoted Hull City at the MKM Stadium at 12:30pm on Saturday, August 22. And United will be pleased with the outcome because of what's going on at Old Trafford.

The stadium's pitch has been dug up for the first time in 14 years, with ground staff now working to put new turf down. New safety features will also be installed, as club chiefs hope to avoid any injuries like the one Benjamin Sesko aggravated when he was pushed down the three-foot slope at Old Trafford and hit the advertising boards .

United's staff have been afforded an extra week to prepare the Old Trafford playing surface for the visit of Ipswich Town , another newly-promoted club, on the weekend of August 29. Carrick and his players will then be back on the road for the short trip to Everton before hosting Manchester City .

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United's last fixture prior to the extended September and October international break - which will last for three weeks - is away to Fulham . That means Carrick's team will only play two Premier League games at Old Trafford before the weekend of October 10.

This summer, United will embark on a tour of Europe. Their pre-season schedule includes trips to Finland, Norway , Sweden , Ireland, and Poland, facing Wrexham , Rosenborg, Atletico Madrid , Paris Saint-Germain , Leeds , and AC Milan .

Carrick will run the rule over his squad in pre-season ahead of United's return to the Champions League after a third-placed finish last term. United are yet to make a new signing, although a £35million move for Atalanta midfielder Ederson - who's currently at the World Cup with Brazil - is close to being completed.

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"There's obviously work to do," Carrick said at the end of the season regarding the summer transfer window . "I know it's quite obvious, there's certain players leaving, that there's a bit of work to do. It's not any more important, this one, than the last one, or it's what's ahead of us as a football club to try and make the most of."

United recently confirmed the departure of three players, namely Casemiro , Jadon Sancho and Tyrell Malacia . The trio were all out of contract.