Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam says there is no tougher place to visit in the Championship than Leeds United.
Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam has admitted that there is no tougher place to go in the Championship than Leeds United away.
The Potters suffered relegation from the Premier League last season and will begin the new campaign with a daunting trip to Elland Road on Sunday 5 August.
Stoke manager Gary Rowett will be hoping to get his side straight back in the top flight, where they had spent the last 10 consecutive seasons.
Scottish midfielder Adam, 32, is well aware of the difficult test that faces Stoke when they travel to Yorkshire for their first Championship test.
“We’ll look on paper as one of the best teams, but if we don’t apply ourselves it will be a tough and a long season for everybody,” Adam told talkSPORT.
“We need to start well and no tougher place than Leeds United on the first day of the season.”
Leeds are also under new management this season, as Marcelo Bielsa is tasked with trying to steer them to promotion.
The Whites commenced last season with promotion form and ended up falling away to finish mid-table, going through both Thomas Christiansen and Paul Heckingbottom as managers.
They will be looking to lay down an early gauntlet when they face Stoke and three points would send some message to the rest of the Championship.
Leeds were unbeaten in their first seven league games last year and a similar feat would get Bielsa straight in the good books with supporters.
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