Possession 50% 50% 0 mins Preston North End Middlesbrough

Despite some tentative moments at the back-end of last season (most notably their final-day loss to lowly Colchester), Preston secured their spot back in the Championship with back-to-back playoff wins over Chesterfield and Swindon Town.

Preston chief Simon Grayson will insist on a troublesome first examination against Middlesbrough as a result of his newly-promoted group on Sunday evening – survive on Sky. “He can be good for us but this was only his first game and he needs to settle in the Championship, which is not easy for anybody”. The expectations on us this season are a lot higher. As mentioned, they are unbeaten against Preston since 1972 in the league and have brought in Stewart Downing and Christian Stuani, who should provide some spark in attack.

“We’ve limited Middlesbrough to I don’t think a shot on target, which is some achievement given the players they’ve got”.

The Teesside outfit have already had one bid rejected for Blackburn’s Jordan Rhodes after his 21-goal campaign in 2014-15 and Karanka conceded he remains in the hunt for a striker.

While Boro were poor at one end of the pitch, Karanka could take solace from the performance of Dael Fry, the Middlesbrough-born 17-year-old defender making his league debut.

For Preston, loan signing Vermijl should start at right-back following his arrival from Sheffield Wednesday. “It’s going to be tough, demanding but also enjoyable at the same time”, Grayson said.

Grayson told www.pnefc.net: “It only seems two minutes since we were celebrating at Wembley and now reality hits that it’s just around the corner”.

Preston North End midfielder John Welsh has admitted that he is relishing the chance to compete against the best the Championship has to offer. Substitutes not used James, Kilkenny, Woods, Browne, Brownhill.

Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos 5; Kalas 6, Ayala 7, Fry 8, Friend 7; Adomah 6, Clayton 7, Leadbitter 7 (Forshaw 88), Reach 6 (Fabbrini 60, 7); Downing 6; Kike 6 (Stuani 77). Substitutes not used Meijas, Carayol, Stephens, Nsue.

Referee: C Kavanagh (Manchester).