Two of the Championship's newly-promoted sides will square off in an important contest at the bottom end of the Championship table on Wednesday, as Sheffield Wednesday travel south to take on Plymouth Argyle.
The visitors will continue their search for a first league win of the season, having only managed three points from their opening 12 games, while their hosts sit 21st with just a four-point lead over the relegation zone.
Match preview
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After winning League One and surpassing 100 points under the management of Steven Schumacher last time around, Plymouth Argyle have certainly endured a tougher start to life back in England's second tier, as they head into the 13th round of league games in 21st spot with 12 points on the board.
From their opening 12 matches, the Pilgrims have managed three victories, the most recent of which being a 6-2 thrashing of Norwich City in September as Morgan Whittaker hit a hat-trick alongside goals from Dan Scarr, Finn Azaz and Luke Cundle, but they have only been able to add two more points to their tally in the four outings since.
Following a creditable draw away at Hull City and a 2-0 home defeat to Millwall, Schumacher's men took on Swansea City at Home Park in their last outing before the recent international break, but they again came away empty-handed, despite going ahead through Cundle in the 18th minute, as Jerry Yates, Oli Cooper and Josh Key fired the visitors to a 3-1 victory.
On their return to action following the break, the Pilgrims set out to bounce back to winning ways in a trip to West Bromwich Albion, and while they were unable to score a fourth three-point haul of the campaign, they did come away with a relatively pleasing share of the spoils as neither side found a goal to break the deadlock.
Plymouth Argyle do, however, now find themselves in 21st spot in the Championship after other results at the weekend, and with a four-point lead over the relegation zone, they will be keen to return to winning ways and improve their cushion on home turf on Wednesday.
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They welcome a Sheffield Wednesday side who are still searching for a first Championship win of the season in what has been a dismal start after also winning promotion from the third tier last term through the playoffs.
New manager Xisco Munoz led them into the new campaign, but the Owls would quickly fall behind the pack, losing five and drawing one of their opening six outings.
A draw at home to Middlesbrough then followed, only for the South Yorkshire outfit to suffer consecutive 3-0 defeats at the hands of Swansea City and Sunderland, before a 1-0 loss away at West Bromwich Albion spelled the end of Munoz's tenure with the Owls rooted to the bottom of the table on two points from 10 games.
They were then able to pick up a point from a goalless draw with Huddersfield Town prior to the international break, before returning under the new management of Danny Rohl in a trip to Watford on Saturday.
The Owls would again come away empty-handed from that contest, as Yaser Asprilla hit the only goal eight minutes from time, and now 12 games without a first win, having only scored once in their last eight outings, they will be desperate to end their wait on Wednesday having already fallen nine points adrift of safety.
Team News
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Plymouth Argyle's injury list has shortened recently, although they do remain without defenders Brendan Galloway and Saxon Earley and midfielder Callum Wright heading into Wednesday's game.
A notable return has been first-choice goalkeeper Michael Cooper, who missed the last 17 matches of their promotion-winning term and the first 11 games of the new Championship season, and after making his first start since early February, when he picked up his ligament rupture against Sheffield Wednesday, he will again get the nod between the sticks.
In front of him, Lewis Gibson and Dan Scarr should continue to partner up in the middle of the back four, while Finn Azaz, Jordan Houghton and Adam Randell should operate further forward with Bali Mumba and danger man Morgan Whittaker flanking lone striker Ryan Hardie, who has notched up five goals in 12 Championship appearances so far this term.
Danny Rohl lined up his new Sheffield Wednesday side in a 4-3-3 shape in his first game at the helm on Saturday, and we should again see a similar setup on Wednesday with only minimal alterations anticipated.
Captain and key man Barry Bannan returned to contention in midfield over the international break after an injury layoff, and he is bound to again feature in the centre, with George Byers and Will Vaulks both fighting to come in and join him after summer signings John Buckley and Jeff Hendrick were preferred last time out.
AC Milan loanee Devis Vasquez also had to settle for a place on the bench at the weekend as Cameron Dawson returned in net, and he will again get the nod between the sticks while Bambo Diaby and Dominic Iorfa should continue their centre-back partnership.
Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:
Cooper; Kesler-Hayden, Gibson, Scarr, Miller; Randell, Houghton, Azaz; Whittaker, Hardie, Mumba
Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:
Dawson; Valentin, Iorfa, Diaby, Famewo; Byers, Bannan, Buckley; Musaba, Gregory, Windass
We say: Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield Wednesday did show signs of encouragement in their trip to Watford on Saturday, but this midweek match presents another tough test, and we cannot envisage the Owls ending their wait for a first win of the season at Home Park.
Schumacher's men will see the home contest as a good chance to return to winning ways, and they have the quality to come out on top.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Sam Varley
