Four players have been handed their Middlesbrough debuts against Stoke City as Aitor Karanka's side return to the top flight after a seven-year absence.

Alvaro Negredo starts up front for Boro, while Victor Valdes, Marten de Roon and Antonio Barragan also make their debuts at the Riverside.

The visiting Potters are missing Jack Butland with an ankle injury and so Shay Given takes his place between the sticks.

Summer signing from Liverpool Joe Allen starts on the bench.

Middlesbrough: Valdes, Nsue, Barragan, Gibson, Friend, Clayton, De Roon, Adomah, Ramirez, Downing, Negredo
Subs: Dimi, Rhodes, Firscher, Baptiste, Stuani, Forshaw, Nugent

Stoke City: Given; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Whelan, Imbula; Shaqiri, Bojan, Arnautovic; Diouf
Subs: Haugaard, Allen, Muniesa, Adam, Walters, Cameron, Crouch

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