Man Cityvs.Plymouth

Muhamed Tijani, on loan from Slavia Prague, scored his first goal for the Pilgrims in last weekend's 1-1 draw with Cardiff City in the Championship, but he is now facing a couple of weeks on the sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Plymouth's FA Cup fourth-round hero Ryan Hardie, who scored in the 1-0 triumph over Liverpool, is also ruled out with a back problem, joining Brendan Galloway (hip) and Joe Edwards (hamstring) in the treatment room.

The absences of Tijani and Hardie leaves Miron Muslic with only one natural centre-forward in his first-team squad, Burnley loanee Michael Obafemi, but the Austrian is set to continue with winger Mustapha Bundu as his makeshift striker on Saturday.

Rami Al Hajj and Callum Wright could provide support in the final third from advanced midfield positions, while former Man City youngster Darko Gyabi could be recalled to start alongside Adam Randell in the middle of the pitch.

Muslic is set to stick with a three-man backline, with Maksym Talovierov, Nikola Katic and Julio Pleguezuelo the most likely trio to begin as centre-backs as Matthew Sorinola and Tymoteusz Puchacz operate as wing-backs, while Conor Hazard should once again get the nod between the sticks.

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup: Hazard; Talovierov, Katic, Pleguezuelo; Sorinola, Randell, Gyabi, Puchacz; Wright, Al Hajj; Bundu

Written by

Oliver Thomas