Stoke City forward Marko Arnautovic (R) faces Tottenham Hotspur's Kyle Walker. (Photo : Getty Images)
Newly-promoted squad Middlesbrough FC will take on last season's middling team Stoke City FC to open their 2016-2017 Premier League campaign at their own home field of Riverside Stadium this Saturday, August 13.
Middlesbrough is one of three former Football League Championship teams that was promoted from last season with the other two being the second-tier champions Burnley FC and playoffs winners Hull City AFC.
The Boro finished second to Burnley in the Championship last term by only four points in the overall standings.
The team will be coached by Spanish manager and former footballer Aitor Karanka, who had been with the club since November 2013 after his three-year assistant coaching stint with Real Madrid.
Some of their notable new signings for the upcoming season are midfielder Viktor Fischer from Ajax, center back Bernardo from Sporting Gijon, midfielder Marten de Roon from Atalanta, right back Antonio Barragan and striker Alvaro Negredo from Valencia, midfielder Gaston Ramirez from Southampton, goalkeeper Victor Valdes from Manchester United, and Team USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan from Aston Villa.
Middlesbrough held La Liga club Real Sociedad to a 0-0 draw in their final preseason friendly last Saturday at the Riverside Stadium as coach Karanka polished up some of their tactics before joining the English top flight competitions this week, as per Vavel.
Meanwhile, Stoke City is still managed by veteran Welsh mentor Mark Hughes, who had been with the club since the summer of 2013 after successive stints with Manchester City, Fulham, and Queens Park Rangers.
The Potters have a few new signings this summer, such as midfielder Joe Allen from Liverpool, 19-year-old winger Ramadan Sobhi from Al Ahly, and another 19-year-old defender Ryan Sweeney from Wimbledon.
Hughes' boys are coming off a 0-1 friendly loss to Bundesliga side Hamburger SV at the Volksparkstadion also last Saturday to conclude their preseason preparations, Daily Mail Online reported.
This game will be a good test for Middlesbrough to begin their Premier League campaign and an opportunity for the Potters to welcome their newly-promoted opponents to the top flight competitions.
The predicted result is a tough 1-0 victory for Stoke City.
Middlesbrough starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Konstantopoulos; Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Clayton, Leadbitter; Stuani, Ramirez, Adomah; Nugent
Stoke City starting lineup (4-2-3-1 formation): Butland; Cameron, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Whelan, Imbula; Walters, Bojan, Arnautovic; Joselu
