The England international waved goodbye to the Red Devils in 2012 after failing to break into the senior ranks at a club that he joined at the age of just nine.

Drinkwater has since gone on to achieve success at the King Power Stadium, not least last season when playing a key part in the Foxes' run to the Premier League title.

On the eve of Leicester's clash with United in the annual curtain-raiser for the English football season, the 26-year-old believes that 2015-16's historic achievement will provide his side with a huge boost.

"We've had a good pre-season and quite a few games," he told the club's official website. "The quality of the games has been good. We've faced some good opposition to hopefully stand us in good stead for Sunday. I think no matter what the result [on Sunday] we can take confidence from last season.

"Wembley is a great stadium and a great place to play your football. I've played there now and to show what you can do at such a big place is good. It'll be the first time for a couple of lads so that will be exciting for them. The Leicester fans are always good too, away from home as well they're always fantastic so I'm sure we're going to take a big crowd to Wembley."

"It's just another game. It's an ex team but each game is as important as the next. They've signed few new players, got a new manager in and I'm sure they're excited for the game as much as we are. It's going to be a good game. I still talk to a few of the boys [from my United days]. Quite a lot of them have moved on and are playing for different clubs but I keep tabs on them."

Leicester's pre-season programme has seen them lose successive games to Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona, following a penalty shootout win over Celtic and an opening-game victory at Oxford United.