Plymouthvs.Bristol City

Meanwhile, the Pilgrims are hoping for improved fortunes in the new year after finishing 2024 with a nine-game winless run.

Match preview

Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney is under pressure to save his job, with the Pilgrims languishing at the foot of the Championship table after winning four, drawing six and losing 13 of their 23 league matches.

Rooney's side recorded the most recent of those four victories on November 5 when they edged out relegation rivals Portsmouth by a 1-0 scoreline.

The Pilgrims have lost six of their nine matches since that victory (D3), including defeats in their final two outings of 2024.

Plymouth slumped to a heavy 4-0 loss in their Boxing Day clash against Coventry City, before they fell to a 2-0 defeat in Sunday's away clash with Oxford United, leading to boos from the away support at the Kassam Stadium.

After competing in back-to-back away games, Plymouth will now return to the familiar surroundings of Home Park, where they have collected 16 of their 18 points this season.

With four points separating them from safety, the Pilgrims will be desperate to claim a league victory over Bristol City for the first time since March 2010.

In contrast to their hosts, Bristol City enjoyed a successful end to the calendar year, recording back-to-back home victories against Luton Town and Portsmouth.

Scott Twine scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over the Hatters, before the Robins scored three goals in the opening 35 minutes to clinch maximum points in Sunday's clash with Pompey.

Anis Mehmeti netted a brace alongside a Rob Dickie effort to fire Bristol City to their second straight win without conceding, moving the Robins up to 10th place and to within four points of the playoffs.

After competing in consecutive home games, Bristol City will now head on their travels with hopes of ending their four-game winless away run.

The Robins have failed to score in three of those four road trips, but they may still fancy their chances of exploiting a Plymouth side that have the league's worst defensive record with 51 goals conceded.

The visitors will also take confidence from the fact they have won each of their last three competitive games against Plymouth, including a dominant 4-0 victory in November's reverse fixture.

Plymouth Argyle Championship form:

L

L

L

D

L

L

Bristol City Championship form:

L

D

D

L

W

W

Team News

Plymouth are likely to be without Michael Obafemi, Joe Edwards, Muhamed Tijani and Mustapha Bundu due to injury.

Callum Wright will serve the second game of a three-match ban after being shown a straight red card in the Boxing Day defeat against Coventry.

Ibrahima Cissoko is closing in on a return to action, but it remains to be seen whether he will be ready to feature in Wednesday's matchday squad.

As for the visitors, Manning will be unable to call upon the injured trio of Joe Williams, Sinclair Armstrong and Adam Murphy.

Kal Naismith and Mark Sykes are making progress in their respective recoveries, but the pair are not expected to return in time for the trip to Home Park.

Buoyed from Sunday's brace, Mehmeti will offer one of Bristol City's main attacking threats, especially as he scored two goals and provided an assist in November's 4-0 win over Plymouth.

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:

Hazard; Mumba, Szucs, Gibson, Galloway; Whittaker, Gyabi, Randell, Roberts, Sorinola; Hardie

Bristol City possible starting lineup:

O'Leary; Vyner, Dickie, McNally; McCrorie, Knight, Bird, Pring; Twine, Mehmeti; Wells

We say: Plymouth Argyle 1-2 Bristol City

Written by

Ben Sully

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