Last season's beaten Championship playoff finalists Middlesbrough kick off a new campaign on Sunday afternoon when they take on Preston North End.

The final fixture of the opening weekend promises to provide plenty of entertainment, as the division's new boys look to pull off an upset on home soil.

Preston North End

Following a four-year absence, Preston are back in the second tier of English football and looking to emulate the success achieved the last time they earned promotion to this level.

At the turn of the new millennium, the Lilywhites followed up League One success by making it all the way to the playoff final, where they lost out to Bolton Wanderers in Cardiff.

A repeat of that is unlikely this time around, of course, although Preston would certainly not be the first side in recent times to use momentum to their advantage and earn back-to-back promotions.

The main target for boss Simon Grayson, who has now taken four different teams up to the Championship, will be to secure survival before potentially thinking about a top-half finish.

Six players from last year's playoff-winning squad have signed permanent contracts, while Jordan Pickford and Will Keane have also joined from Sunderland and Manchester United respectively.

Tying down the likes of playoff hero Jermaine Beckford and Paul Gallagher will provide Preston with a major boost, but it is keeping hold of Joe Garner which is arguably the Lancashire outfit's finest piece of business.

The 27-year-old top scored in League One last season, bagging 25 goals in all to spearhead North End's push for the Championship. Of course, finishing in the automatic promotion spots was the aim last time out, but they missed out on that target on a dramatic final day.

Preston have failed to win their first match of a season since 2008, however, while that run stretches back to 2004 when only taking into consideration home fixtures.

Pre-season form: DWWWWLWL

Middlesbrough

It may have been playoff joy for Preston in May, but for Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough side the emotions could not have been more different at Wembley.

Seventy-four days on from a painful defeat to Norwich City, in which the Smoggies failed to truly turn up, they must now prepare themselves to do it all over again.

Only a loss of form at the end of the season cost Boro an automatic promotion spot, but after comfortably seeing off Brentford over two legs they were still backed by many to go all the way.

It was not to be on that occasion, but Middlesbrough have still been heavily tipped by many to go one better this time around thanks to some smart summer transfer business.

The biggest addition during the off-season is that of Stewart Downing, who returns to his hometown club on the back of an impressive personal campaign at West Ham United last time out.

Certain key players have gone the opposite way, however, including Lee Tomlin and Patrick Bamford, who will both be playing Premier League football next season.

Key to any success, much like last season, will be the Riverside club's ability to keep clean sheets. No keeper recorded more shutouts than Dimi Konstantopoulos last term (21), while no side conceded fewer than Boro's tally of 37 during the regular season.

The North-East side received a further shot in the arm on the eve of the campaign, too, with the news that Karanka has agreed to extend his stay at the club by agreeing a new contract.

Pre-season form: WDWW

Team News

Ben Gibson, who has been linked with a Premier League move of his own this summer, will miss his side's opening game as a result of a foot injury.

That could mean youngster Dael Fry partnering Daniel Ayala in the heart of defence, with Jonathan Woodgate also not fit enough to start.

There is good news further up the field, however, as Christian Stuani has been given clearance to play a part, but he may have to wait for his first start.

Marnick Vermijl joined from Sheffield Wednesday on a season-long earlier this week, and he is expected to go straight into the starting lineup should he be fully fit.

Keane could also be handed a competitive debut for the Lilywhites, though Grayson may elect to use the Man United product from the bench.

Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Vermijl, Clarke, Huntington, Wright; Cunningham, Welsh, Johnson, Gallagher; Beckford, Garner

Middlesbrough possible starting lineup:
Konstantopoulos; Kalas, Ayala, Fry, Friend; Leadbitter, Clayton; Adomah, Downing, Reach; Kike

Head To Head

Remarkably, it has been 43 years since Boro last tasted defeat against Preston; winning five and drawing three games since then.

A better omen for North End is the fact that they have won four of their last five home games at this level.

The two sides have met in the League Cup on a couple of occasions in recent years, with Middlesbrough winning both fixtures 3-1 to maintain their impressive form against the Deepdale side.

We say: Preston North End 1-3 Middlesbrough

It has now been six years since Boro dropped out of the Premier League, but if all goes to plan then a top-flight return could be on the cards come May. If that is to happen then Karanka's men will have to get off to a promising start - beginning with three points on the opening weekend at Preston.