Aiming to secure back-to-back wins in their quest for second-tier safety, Plymouth Argyle will welcome fellow strugglers Queens Park Rangers to Home Park on Tuesday night in the Championship.
The Pilgrims' life under interim stewardship started with victory at Rotherham United on Friday night, whereas QPR slipped back towards danger following defeat at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday a day later.
Match preview
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Following a woeful six-game winless run which brought an end to Ian Foster's time in the managerial hotseat in Devon, Plymouth Argyle returned to winning ways for the first time since late February during Friday night's Championship offering, narrowly beating League One-bound Rotherham.
Playing in his favoured left wing-back role, Bali Mumba netted the only goal of the contest after a brilliant cross-field ball from Morgan Whittaker in the first half, and the visiting Green Army held on in the second period to secure a vital maximum, consigning Leam Richardson's men to third-tier football next season.
Having parted ways with former England youth coach Foster after just 87 days as manager, the trusted duo of Kevin Nancekivell and club director Neil Dewsnip are in charge of first-team affairs at Plymouth until the end of the campaign, tasked with keeping last season's League One champions in the Championship.
Wins for Sheffield Wednesday and Huddersfield Town over the weekend mean that the Pilgrims have failed to pull significantly away from trouble despite their beating of the Millers on Friday, with the Green Army currently 19th in the second-tier table, just two points ahead of 22nd-placed Birmingham City.
A characteristic of Foster's troubled time at Plymouth was their unacceptable home form, with Tuesday's hosts losing five-straight Championship fixtures at Home Park - without finding the back of net - before the dismissal of the 47-year-old and subsequent interim appointment of Nancekivell and Dewsnip.
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QPR were unable to make it three successive Championship wins for the third time this season, with head coach Marti Cifuentes taking full responsibility as his troops slumped to a 2-0 defeat versus Danny Rohl's Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon, handing the Owls a massive boost in their battle for survival.
Spaniard Cifuentes claimed that back-to-back successes over Birmingham and Swansea City after returning from the international break might have allowed complacency to grow within his squad ahead of the capital clash, and the visiting Owls took full advantage, with Djeidi Gassama and Anthony Musaba netting in the second half.
With five matches left to play in the Championship campaign, QPR are sitting in 17th position in the league standings, but they are only four points ahead of Gary Rowett's Blues in the highest of the relegation spots, meaning that the R's will likely need at least another win to secure safety.
The West Londoners have been forced to rely heavily on their away form this season as they desperately attempt to avoid third-tier football, with Cifuentes's side collecting just 21 points from as many matches at Loftus Road this season - only whipping boys Rotherham (19) have earned fewer points in front of their respective home faithful.
Attracting interest from higher up the Championship food chain during the January transfer window, Ilias Chair continues to be a key man for QPR this season, with the Moroccan netting five and assisting six goals in 39 second-tier appearances, meaning that the 26-year-old leads his teammates in both of those attacking metrics.
Team News
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Plymouth remain without the services of Leeds United loanee Darko Gyabi, who suffered a groin injury in late March and is not expected back until the end of April.
After being frozen out of first-team picture by ex-manager Foster, Dan Scarr and Callum Wright immediately returned to the starting XI on Friday, with the pair set to play once again on Tuesday night.
Leading marksman Whittaker provided his 27th goal contribution of the Championship season at Rotherham last time out, and the 23-year-old will partner Wright and Ryan Hardie in a front three at Home Park.
Following a lacklustre display versus Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, QPR boss Cifuentes is preparing to make some alterations to his side, with the likes of Lyndon Dykes and Paul Smyth pushing for starts.
With the experience of a Championship promotion under his belt during his successful spell at Aston Villa, 36-year-old Albert Adomah could be drafted into the XI to provide his extensive second-tier knowhow.
The R's are unable to call upon the talents of Rayan Kolli and Taylor Richards, with both youngsters sidelined due to leg and calf issues respectively.
Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Phillips, Scarr, Gibson; Edwards, Randell, Houghton, Mumba; Whittaker, Wright, Hardie
Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:
Begovic; Dunne, Cook, Fox, Paal; Hayden, Field, Willock, Andersen, Chair; Dykes
We say: Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Queens Park Rangers
Despite their recent struggles at Home Park, Plymouth should be confident of recording back-to-back wins following Friday night's success at Rotherham.
QPR were far from their best at Loftus Road as Sheffield Wednesday escaped with maximum points, and we reckon that the R's will suffer another loss on Tuesday.
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Carter White
