Plymouth Argyle vs Bristol City - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to support their cleanable commencement to pre-season, Plymouth Argyle invited Bristol City to Home Park connected Saturday day successful what volition beryllium the archetypal of 2 friendlies the Robins contention connected the aforesaid day.

The Pilgrims secured a 1-0 triumph implicit Truro City past play to grounds a 4th consecutive pre-season win, portion Michael Skubala's Bristol City stunned Premier League broadside Newcastle United 4-1 successful midweek.

Match preview

Plymouth ended the 2025-26 run unbeaten crossed their last six matches but inactive narrowly missed retired connected the League One playoffs, finishing conscionable 2 points adrift of the apical six.

Hoping to spell 1 amended this season, Tom Cleverley's broadside person strengthened with six caller arrivals, including goalkeeper Murphy Cooper from Queens Park Rangers and erstwhile Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harvey White.

However, past season's starring scorer Lorent Tolaj, who scored 18 League One goals successful conscionable 33 appearances, has joined Saturday's opponents successful a woody reportedly worthy £4m, leaving the Pilgrims yet to regenerate their superior attacking outlet.

Even so, Plymouth person enjoyed an awesome commencement to pre-season, signaling victories implicit Plymouth Parkway, Bath City, Torquay United and Truro portion scoring 9 goals and conceding conscionable once.

Saturday's gathering with Championship absorption represents their toughest trial of the summertime earlier ending their pre-season against Tavistock and taking connected bitter rivals Exeter City successful the opening circular of the EFL Cup.

Bristol City besides look a engaged play aft scheduling 2 friendlies connected Saturday, mirroring Wednesday's double-header against Newcastle United, who person since seen Eddie Howe permission his relation arsenic manager, and Forest Green Rovers.

Skubala's strongest broadside produced 1 of the standout results of pre-season by thrashing the Premier League outfit 4-1, portion a younger Robins XI were beaten 3-2 by Robbie Savage's Forest Green aboriginal that evening.

Newcastle included the likes of Lewis Hall, Joe Willock, Harvey Barnes and Anthony Elanga, but first-half goals from summertime arrivals Sam Greenwood and Tolaj enactment Bristol City firmly successful control.

Max Bird added a superb 3rd aft the interruption earlier a Sven Botman ain extremity completed the scoring, with Barnes grabbing the visitors' lone reply.

Since arriving from Lincoln City aft guiding the Imps to the League One title, Skubala has overseen the arrivals of 3 players expected to diagnostic prominently this season, though further additions could inactive get pursuing Ross McCrorie's determination to Rangers.

Saturday's double-header volition supply Bristol City's last preparations earlier they statesman their competitory run against Walsall.

The Robins volition besides instrumentality assurance from their caller grounds against Plymouth, having avoided decision successful their past six meetings with the Pilgrims, winning 5 and drafting one.

Plymouth Argyle Club Friendlies 3 form:

W W W W 

Bristol City Club pre-season form:

L D W L W

Team News

Neither broadside has reported immoderate caller wounded concerns, giving some managers the accidental to tract beardown lineups.

With this being Plymouth's toughest affable of the summer, Cleverley is expected to prime his strongest disposable XI.

New signing Cooper should proceed betwixt the posts, portion Irish winger Ronan Curtis is acceptable to diagnostic connected the helping and Aribim Pepple could erstwhile again spearhead the onslaught aft scoring 2 from 2 during pre-season.

As for the travelling Robins, they whitethorn rotate somewhat fixed they look Exeter City aboriginal successful the day, but Skubala is inactive expected to sanction an experienced side.

Scott Twine could regenerate Bird successful midfield arsenic helium builds lucifer fitness, portion Tolaj is successful enactment to look his erstwhile nine for the archetypal time.

Plymouth Argyle imaginable starting lineup:

Cooper; Ross, Pleguezuelo, Mitchell, Hartridge; Ralls, Boateng, White; Curtis, Oseni, Pepple

Bristol City imaginable starting lineup:

Tickle; Tanner, Dickie, Eissat, Pring; Randell, Knight; Morrison, Twine, Greenwood; Tolaj

We say: Plymouth Argyle 1-2 Bristol City

If Bristol City sanction a akin lineup to the 1 that produced a stunning 4-1 triumph implicit Newcastle United, Plymouth could beryllium facing their toughest trial of pre-season truthful far.

However, with the Pilgrims unbeaten successful their past 7 matches and showing beardown signifier up of the caller campaign, we expect a competitory contest.

The Robins should person capable prime to borderline the brushwood and unafraid their 3rd pre-season triumph of the summer.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.