Recently relegated Plymouth Argyle will be hoping for an immediate reaction following their disappointing season in the Championship when they take on playoff hopefuls Barnsley on Saturday (02/08/2025).
The Pilgrims lost manager Miron Muslic to FC Schalke 04, and their replacement is seen as a managerial coup, as they appointed Tom Cleverley, who impressed at times during his spell as Watford manager. The former Manchester United and Wigan Athletic midfielder will be tasked with guiding Argyle back to an immediate return to the Championship, with the Pilgrims seen as one of the favourites for automatic promotion before a ball is kicked.
Tom Cleverley's side has strengthened in the market by scouting the lower tier of German football, securing the signatures of Bradley Ibrahim and Xavier Amaechi from FC Magedeburg and Hertha BSC, respectively. The Pilgrims ended their league campaign with three wins from five matches, and during pre-season, the home side scored nine goals in four games. They will look to establish a good home record to secure promotion.
Barnsley recorded a disappointing campaign, given their pre-season consensus of a potential playoff spot for the Yorkshire side. The Tykes have bought in a huge wealth of experience by securing the signing of EFL stalwart, David McGoldrick, from Notts County on a free transfer. Barnsley's record away from home last season was rather indifferent, considering the visitors lost 10 of their 23 away fixtures, having conceded 37 goals while scoring 36.
For this game, we are leaning towards a victory for Plymouth Argyle. The Pilgrims will want to put to bed any disappointment from their last campaign, and the renewed optimism with the appointment of Tom Cleverley's arrival should see them over the line. It will be a close game, though, with goals for either side, considering over 3.5 goals have been scored in eight of the last 10 games involving Plymouth Argyle and in six of the last seven involving Barnsley.
Plymouth Argyle 2-1 Barnsley
