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Despite last season's relegation, Stoke have managed to retain the likes of Joe Allen, Charlie Adam, Ryan Shawcross, Darren Fletcher and Peter Crouch, giving them valuable experience as they search for an immediate return to the Premier League.

They've also done what looks like smart business in securing Benik Afobe on loan from Wolves until January when the move will become permanent, and have strengthened their rearguard with Wales international Ashley Williams, on-loan from Everton for the season.

But boss Gary Rowett knows there may be a few bumps in the road as his big names adapt to life in the second tier.

"For any manager to think they could walk into a team that’s been relegated from the Premier League and solve every problem straight away is ridiculous," he said.

"The reality is that some players are going to think they are still Premier League players. Well, you hope all of them would – but [we must] accept that they haven’t performed to that level as a group.

"You have to accept that we are going to have to find our way in the Championship and get used to it very quickly. I’m confident that we can do that but also mindful that there might be one or two pieces that take a while to settle down."

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Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has been the most talked-about Championship appointment this season - and he wants to turn his side into one of the league's most ferocious attacking teams.

"The idea is to play in the opponent's side," he told BBC Radio Leeds. "That means we will dominate the opponent if we can impose this idea. Our idea is to attack more than to defend. In case we defend, the goal is to go back to attack again as soon as possible.

"We try to link the three lines of our team without making any long balls. These are our goals, but opponents or moments to win the game could make us do things differently than what we planned.

"My style is not better nor worse than others' - it's the style I can transmit because it's the style I believe in. You cannot convince players if you do not truly believe in what you say.

"The footballers are a mix of three things: heart, mind and legs. And these three things allow them to develop any kind of style. I didn't perceive any difficulty for the players to do the idea I am proposing to them."

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Stoke begin their quest for an immediate return to the Premier League today - with former Derby boss Gary Rowett at the helm.

Although he's never secured a promotion in his managerial career, the 44-year-old has a decent track record in the EFL. He led the Rams to the play-off semi-finals last term, where they lost to eventual promotion-winners Fulham, and secured play-off finishes for Burton Albion in League Two in 2013 and 2014.

He took charge of Championship side Birmingham City in 2014 but was sacked in December 2016 with the team in seventh - a decision that was widely condemned.

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We've heard that line often, and, for the eighth season in a row, Leeds have a new manager at the helm for their first league match of the season - but no one expected them to make an appointment of Marcelo Bielsa's pedigree.

The former Argentina and Marseille manager is nicknamed 'El Loco' - which, as you probably knew, is Spanish for 'crazy'.

The 63-year-old has mentored some of the biggest names in football, including Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino. In fact, Pochettino wrote the letter of support to accompany Bielsa's request for a work permit this summer.

Bielsa is so absorbed in first team affairs that there's a bed in his office at the club's Thorp Arch training ground, and in pre-season he made his players pick up litter for three hours so they could appreciate how hard the average supporter had to work to pay for a match ticket.

Stoke boss Gary Rowett hands debuts to four of his summer signings - striker Benik Afobe, wingers Tom Ince and James McLean and Nigeria midfielder Oghenekaro Etebo.

England's reserve goalkeeper Jack Butland starts in goal, and a strong-looking bench includes Bojan and the experienced Peter Crouch, Darren Fletcher and Ashley Williams.

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Subs: Federici, Williams, Edwards, Fletcher, Crouch, Bojan, Diouf

Here's Marcelo Bielsa's first Leeds line-up.

Left-back Barry Douglas, a title-winner with Wolves last season, is the only new signing to make his full debut this afternoon. Big-money striker signing Patrick Bamford has to settle for a place on the bench.

Mateusz Klich makes his first league start since last September.

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Subs: Blackman, Jansson, Dallas, Baker, Harrison, Roberts, Bamford.

There was a frenetic day of action in the EFL yesterday - which you can relive here, external - but for now, let's take a look at today's teams before we learn a little bit more about their bosses...

Welcome to the live text coverage of Leeds v Stoke.

The winds of change have swept through both of these clubs over the close-season.

This is the first game for new Leeds boss and former Argentina and Marsaille manager Marcelo Bielsa - who was dubbed "one of the best coaches in the world" by some guy called Pep Guardiola.

His opposite number in the dugout is Gary Rowett, who's an old hand at masterminding play-off charges having done so with Burton and Derby.

But how will they both fare today? Join us as two of the Championship's big-hitters search for a return to a top flight they've been away from for... varying lengths of time.

Image source, Rex Features