Plymouth Argyle team news and preview for trip to fourth-placed Burnley

Midfielder Darko Gyabi breaks forward for Argyle during the Championship match against Luton Town at Home Park on Friday, September 27, 2024 - Photo: Stan Kasala/PPAUK
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


Wayne Rooney will make at least one change to his team for Plymouth Argyle's Championship match away to fourth-placed Burnley tomorrow night from the 3-1 victory over Luton Town at Home Park last Friday.

On-loan Burnley striker Michael Obafemi started against Luton but is not allowed to play against his parent club, who are unbeaten in their last four games and have picked up eight points out of a possible 12 in that time.

That opens up the possibility of a return to the starting line-up for Ibrahim Cissoko, who lost his place to Obafemi against Luton but the Dutch winger came off the bench in the second half and scored twice in a dazzling cameo display.

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Argyle's on-loan Leeds United midfielder Darko Gyabi put in a strong showing during the victory over Luton until he was substituted due to a dead leg immediately after the visitors reduced their deficit to 2-1 in the 70th minute.

Gyabi was replaced by Jordan Houghton but the hope will be that he is fit enough to face Burnley. Rooney said: "It was a dead leg from the first half, and especially when you go off at half-time they stiffen up and it's hard to get going, although he didn't show any signs just before that when we get the second goal.

"He drove forwards, which is a real attribute of his, but he felt he couldn't continue after that so we made a change." Argyle had already made one substitution before then, which was at the start of the second half as Brendan Galloway took over from Bali Mumba at left-back. That was not because of injury, though, as Rooney explained.

He said: "I think Bali had a difficult 45 minutes and sometimes you can try to let a player play through it and you are taking a bit of a risk. That happens, that's fine, I had many halves of football where I didn't play at my best. Bali has been fantastic for us, and I have no doubt about his ability. Bringing on Brendan added a bit of height to the team as well."

The Pilgrims' trip to Turf Moor will see Morgan Whittaker come up against the club which made a couple of offers to try to sign him before the summer transfer window closed at the end of August. Whittaker was asked about the prospect of playing Burnley when he spoke to the media before the Luton match and said: "I'm in a Plymouth shirt so that's what I will be focusing on."

Argyle are in the midst of a challenging run of games, having already played and beaten Sunderland (3-2) and Luton at home, as well as losing 1-0 away to league leaders West Bromwich Albion. Next up are Burnley and then on Saturday Blackburn Rovers, who are in third place, will visit the Theatre of Greens.

Rooney said: "I think we have had really good performances. I think we have been unlucky not to pick up maybe one more win at least since the start of the season.

"We knew this is a real tough run of games for us so to pick up six points out of nine, but also a really good performance away from home against West Brom, I think it gives everyone a real confidence and belief.

"For me, I can feel something is happening here - something special is happening - and I think the players are starting to feel that as well. We have to be confident and have that belief we can go to Turf Moor and give a good performance and get a good result."

Burnley appointed former Fulham and Bournemouth boss Scott Parker as their head coach in the summer after the departure of Vincent Kompany to German giants Bayern Munich.

They have played three home league games under him this season, beating Cardiff City (5-0) and Portsmouth (2-1) and drawing with local Lancashire rivals Blackburn Rovers (1-1). The Clarets are two points behind table-topping West Bromwich Albion after drawing 0-0 away to Oxford United on Saturday.

Rooney said: "We know it's going to be a difficult game, of course it is, they are a good team, good manager and they have got good players. We have to be as well prepared as we can be. I think a lot of teams will be looking at us and seeing what we are doing, and they will have to prepare well for us because if not we will be there ready to pounce."

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