Marc Skinner’s side are currently in the thick of pre-season, having drawn 2-2 with Liverpool at Carrington on Sunday.
Further tests against Aston Villa and Brighton and Hove Albion will follow, but the Reds now know that the campaign proper will get underway in front of the cameras on Friday 3 September.
That’s when the clash with Reading at Leigh Sports Village takes place, with the curtain-raiser kicking off at 19:45 BST and being shown live on Sky Sports Premier League.
The following week’s fixture away at Leicester City is unchanged, as we travel to the East Midlands on Sunday 12 September for a 14:00 BST kick-off.