Premier League preview and odds: Middlesbrough vs Stoke City

Premier League

Football
Published: 10/08/2016

Premier League preview and odds: Middlesbrough vs Stoke City

August 13 , 2016 15:00pm - Riverside Stadium

Premier League

Middlesbrough will celebrate their return to the Premier League with a home game against mid-table regulars Stoke City on Saturday afternoon. It will be the first time that fans at the Riverside have enjoyed top-flight football since the club was relegated back in 2009.

Ambitious Boro back in the big time

Middlesbrough FC are back in the Premier League after a seven-year break thanks to a second-place finish in last year`s Championship campaign. All three of the promoted teams, Hull City and Burnley being the other two, have previous top-flight experience.

Under the guidance of Spanish coach Aitor Karanka, Boro finished just four points behind champions Burnley with a total of 89 points. The former Real Madrid assistant has been in charge for just under three years, having replaced Tony Mowbray in November 2013.

The Teesiders have been active in the transfer market having brought in midfielder Viktor Fischer from Ajax, centre-back Bernardo from Sporting Gijon, midfielder Marten de Roon from Atalanta, forward Alvaro Negredo and right-back Antonio Barragan from Valencia, midfielder Gaston Ramirez from Southampton and goalkeepers Victor Valdes and Brad Guzan from Manchester United and Aston Villa respectively.

In their final two pre-season matches, they played out goalless draws against La Liga side Real Sociedad (home) and Udinese (away), having previously beaten Aston Villa 3-1 away from home.

Meanwhile, visitors Stoke City will start their fourth season under the guidance of Welsh boss Mark Hughes. The former Manchester City manager has led the Potters to three consecutive ninth-place finished since arriving in Staffordshire.

Hughes has drafted in former Liverpool midfielder Joe Allen to the midfield and also recruited two 19-year-olds in the form of wide man Ramadan Sobhi, who arrived from Al Ahly, and defender Ryan Sweeney, who made the switch fromfrom AFC Wimbledon. Those acquisitions have taken Stoke`s summer spending tally to over £18m.

Pre-season has brought a mixed bag of results for the English club with defeats to Hamburger SV and Burton Albion coming either side of a draw against Preston North End and a win away to Orlando.

Team news

Stephen Ireland and Ibrahim Afellay are both out of action for the visitors.

Recent form (League)

Middlesbrough: DDWLW

Stoke City: LWDLW

Betting odds and tips

This game will provide a good test for the newcomers who come into this game in good form, having lost just one of their last 16 fixtures.

You can back the home win at 6/5 with Bet365

By Neil Morris

Go To bet365
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Any odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of publishing (10/08/2016) but are subject to change.

10/08/2016     © Frixo 2024

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