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GENTLE START?

There are no easy games at this level, that’s a given, but if you wanted a series of encounters to acclimatise to the new level Boro must perform at then the first six games may have been hand-picked.

Stoke at home will be a baptism of fire - they are after all the cliché barometer of whether we “can do it” - and it will be a good chance to calibrate exactly what we need to do to not survive but flourish.

Then the short haul trip up the A19 to Sunderland may be a juicy first trip as a derby clash and important for recharging banter batteries after a long exile but it is nothing to fear.

Follow live reaction to the fixtures on our blog here .

(Image: PA)

The flailing side have taken up residence in the bottom six for years now and if Boro are to establish themselves they will be looking to take points from teams like that.

West Brom and Palace after that offer the chance to Boro find their feet against a string of sides from last season’s basement battlers before the big boys loom.

TOUGH FINISH!

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We will need to hope we have points in the bank before the final furlong because that has a testing look about it.

Boro play four of their last six games against teams who will be expecting to be among the Champions League challengers: Arsenal and Manchester City at home, trips to Chelsea and then Liverpool on the last day.

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If the league goes to form then all three could be desperate for points in a cut-throat battle - but then, those Titantic tussles with the well wadded elite are exactly the games we wanted to be in the Premier League for.

That daunting run is punctuated by a long trip to Bournemouth and a home clash with Southampton that may offer some respite - but also pile pressure on Boro to take precious points in what could be a tight finish.

CHRISTMAS ON THE ROAD

The festive fixtures have always been a boon for Boro with bumper crowds as the exiles return for Christmas dinner at their Mam’s and then the match, either on Boxing Day or the 28th.

Not this time. Boro have been handed an away game at Burnley on Boxing Day - I hope they kept the gift receipt - which may not be the most glamorous but has developed a bit of needle about it .

But the big holiday attraction will be the New Year’s Eve trip to Old Trafford . Tickets for that will be THE red hot Christmas present - although we won’t take the 10,000 we did last time we were there.

FEWER NIGHT SHIFTS

So far Boro have only THREE scheduled midweek games. That will change as the TV schedulers get stuck in and move a few fixtures to awkward slots on a Monday night but the rarity of games under the lights is a stark illustration of the difference between the top flight and the Championship when it felt like every Tuesday was matchday.

Read more When Sky Sports and BT Sport will announce first televised games

Of the night shifts pencilled in so far the juicy one is Liverpool at home in December. Boro also take on West Brom at home in January and make the short trip to Hull in April on midweeks.

Of course, the gaps leave space to reschedule games when mighty Boro go on their cup runs!

WEEK OF DESTINY?

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There’s always a pivotal period that make or break ambitions. Boro have a fierce looking finish - but before that they have three games in eight days in early April that could determine the season.

Boro go to Swansea on April Fools’ Day then travel to last season’s rivals Hull and take on Burnley in quick succession and the bookies will have both of those down as relegation six-pointers.

A healthy haul from those three games could haul Boro into the comfort zone and insulate them from what could be a rocky run in.