Name: Middlesbrough
Formed: 1876
Manager: Aitor Karanka
Stadium: Riverside Stadium
Capacity: 34, 988
Last season: 2nd (Championship)
In chronological order, safc.com take a look at Sunderland’s opponents during the 2016-17 Premier League season.
Up second is an insight into Premier League new boys Middlesbrough, with the Teeside club securing a return to the top flight last season following a seven-year absence.
Tipped for promotion at the start of the campaign, Aitor Karanka’s side made an solid start to the season before stringing together a five-game winning streak which propelled them to the summit.
A similar run at the end of 2016 saw Boro enter the New Year with a four-point lead over second-place Derby County, and despite boasting the best goal difference at the time they secured more firepower on 1 February as Jordan Rhodes arrived for a sizable fee.
Rhodes, who scored 166 goals in 316 league games prior to his Riverside move, hit the ground running scoring six goals as Boro entered the final day of the season with promotion in their hands.
Brighton & Hove Albion were the opponents and the Seagulls knew victory would see them leapfrog Boro and secure automatic promotion at their expense, but despite drawing level after Christian Stuani opened the scoring Boro held on and sealed a Premier League return.
Throughout last season the Teesiders shared goals throughout the team with the likes of Stuani, Albert Adomah, David Nugent and Gaston Ramirez regularly finding the net, and Karanka will be hoping his side produce more of the same during the new campaign.
And there will also be a host of new faces on show when Boro travel to the Stadium of Light in the second week of the season, with former Barcelona star Victor Valdes signing up alongside Marten de Roon, Viktor Fischer and Bernardo.
The Black Cats’ upcoming meeting with Karanka’s side will be the first clash between the clubs since a Capital One Cup tie in October 2012, with the last league meeting ending 1-1 in January 2009 as Alfonso Alves and Kenwyne Jones found the net.
