Manchester United are reportedly planning a test event to allow 12,000 supporters to attend the Premier League clash against Crystal Palace this month.
The Athletic state that the club will be meeting authorities on Thursday to provide details on how they can open Old Trafford up to supporters while still maintaining social distancing regulations for the fixture on September 19.
Two Premier League clubs have already staged a test event, with Brighton hosting Chelsea in a pre-season friendly at the end of August that saw 2,500 supporters allowed in to watch.
United are set to meet the Safety Advisory Group to discuss the process, though they are facing a tight deadline if a green light is to be given for the fixture.
Old Trafford has a capacity of up to 76,000 - the largest club ground in England - and like all clubs they are hopeful of welcoming supporters back to the stadium as soon as possible.
A limit of 12,000 supporters would likely mean that no away fans would be allowed into the ground - ensuring Palace would be one of the only teams in the opening weeks to face a hostile atmosphere.
Manchester United previously stated: "We are working with the Premier League, DCMS, SGSA and the local authorities on planning a safe return of fans to matches at Old Trafford as soon as it is permitted.
"We are preparing for a large number of possible eventualities and reviewing the options for the first test event and we will only confirm this once the relevant local and national approvals have been agreed."
Palace themselves are said to be hoping that supporters will be allowed back into Selhurst Park from October, with around 4,000 to 5,000 potentially included.
Recent government guidance has put a dampener on hopes that supporters will be allowed back in large-scale numbers any time soon, but there is still uncertainty over many aspects of the process.
