Ben Wilkinson’s side will take on the National League champions at 19:00 (UK) at SMH Group Stadium with TV coverage beginning at 18:50 (UK).
The EDS will be looking to take learnings from our PL2 3-1 opening day defeat at Liverpool and look for a strong result against Paul Cook’s League Two outfit in the first game of Northern Group G.
The other teams in Group G are Grimsby Town and Lincoln City.
City are one of 16 Category One Academy clubs joining League One and League Two clubs in the new campaign’s tournament.
The 16 U21 Premier League sides join 48 EFL clubs in regional groups and the competition is seen as giving younger players game-time against experienced senior sides outside the top flight.
The top two sides will progress from each group into a knockout phase, which remains regionalised until the quarter-final stage.
Up until the semi-finals, any drawn games will be settled by penalty kicks and no extra time will be played.
All Premier League U21 teams will play their matches away from home.
Wilkinson believes the competition is a great opportunity for the development of City’s Elite Development Squad and their future senior careers.
“It’s always a real challenge in these games because of the level of opposition and the difference in experience of the two sets of players,” he said.
“They’re really good games for us and historically we know we can take a lot out of those types of games so I’m looking forward to it.”
