Middlesbrough

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9 July: York City 0-6 Middlesbrough (Bootham Crescent). Goals: OG, Nugent, Adomah, Rhodes 2, Reach

16 July: Doncaster 0-2 Middlesbrough (Keepmoat Stadium). Goals: Downing, Pattison

19 July: Real Betis 2-1 Middlesbrough (Marbella Football Centre, Marbella, Spain). Goal: Rhodes

(Boro also played two other matches in Marbella behind closed doors)

30 July: Aston Villa 1-3 Middlesbrough (Villa Park). Goals: Negredo, Fischer, Rhodes

3 August: Udinese 0-0 Middlesbrough (Dacia Arena, Udine, Italy).

6 August: Middlesbrough 0-0 Real Sociedad (Riverside)

Summer signings: Viktor Fischer (Ajax), Bernardo Espinosa (Sporting Gijon), Marten de Roon (Atalanta), Jordan McGhee (Heart of Midlothian), Victor Valdes (Manchester United), Antonio Barragan (Valencia), Alvaro Negredo (Valencia), Gaston Ramirez (Southampton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa) Fabio (Cardiff).

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Middlesbrough

This season: 17th

Last season: Promoted (Championship runners-up)

It is great to see Middlesbrough back in the top flight - reward for an outstanding supporter of his football team and town in chairman Steve Gibson. 

Gibson is fiercely ambitious and loyal but this season will be about consolidation.

Manager Aitor Karanka has injected experience in the shape of former Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes and loan striker Alvaro Negredo, who flourished briefly in the Premier League while at Manchester City.

Karanka will hope Marten de Roon, the 25-year-old Dutch midfield man bought from Atalanta for £12m, will provide midfield solidity.

Head over here to see Phil's predictions in full - and share your own thoughts on what might happen. 

John Roder
Match of the Day commentator at the Riverside Stadium

It is a welcome return to the Premier League for Middlesbrough, seven years after they were relegated to the second tier of English football in May 2009.

Their first opponents, Stoke, are surely a model for Boro to try to emulate. With some astute purchases, Mark Hughes has led the Potters to ninth place in each of the past three seasons.

On a personal note, tragically a familiar face won't be there in the media area.

Alastair Brownlee, the BBC Tees commentator known as "the voice of the Boro", passed away earlier this year. How Ali would have loved this weekend, as his beloved club return to the top flight.

With two of last season's stalwarts Grant Leadbitter and Daniel Ayala out injured, the process of integrating 10 new signings into the Middlesbrough squad is a little easier for Boro manager Aitor Karanka... 

Four of those make the starting XI - including three-time Champions League winner Victor Valdes in goal, ex-Manchester City forward Alvaro Negredo up top, and £11.75m signing from Atalanta Marten de Roon in midfield.

Boro XI: Valdes, Nsue, Barragan, Gibson, Friend, Clayton, De Roon, Adomah, Downing, Ramirez, Negredo.

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With Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland out after injuring his ankle in training (not too serious, Stoke fans) 40-year-old keeper Shay Given comes in to take his place. Wales midfielder Joe Allen, signed form Liverpool after being named in the Euro 2016 team of the tournament, makes the bench.

Stoke XI: Given; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Whelan, Imbula; Shaqiri, Bojan, Arnautovic; Diouf

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Top flight English football returns to Middlesbrough's Riverside Stadium for the first time since 2009.

It's been a busy summer on Teesside since Boro finished as Championship runners-up. Ten new faces have arrived, including former Barcelona keeper Victor Valdes, £11.75m midfielder Marten de Roon and ex-Manchester City forward Alvaro Negredo.

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Their opening game's an intriguing one. 

Stoke have finished solidly in mid-table in each of the eight seasons since they came up in 2008 - reaching ninth in the last three seasons under manager Mark Hughes. 

What will this year bring for them? Will Potters fans be happy for more of the same? Suspect anything above the drop zone will be job done for Boro...

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