Plymouth Argyle faces Bristol Rovers in a Vertu Trophy clash amidst a significant injury and international duty crisis. Manager Tom Cleverley is left with limited options for squad rotation as nine players are unavailable for the match at the Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.
Pilgrims Depleted Squad
Argyle, despite already securing their spot in the last 32 of the competition following victories against Cheltenham Town and Tottenham Hotspur U21s, will be missing key players. The injured list includes Xavier Amaechi, Ayman Benarous, Joe Edwards, Jack MacKenzie, Julio Pleguezuelo, and Caleb Watts.
International Duty Calls
Adding to Cleverley's woes, Brendan Galloway (Zimbabwe), Conor Hazard (Northern Ireland), and Law McCabe (England U20s) are away on international duty after featuring in the recent 3-1 League One defeat to Huddersfield Town.
A Much-Needed Boost
Currently on a five-game losing streak across all competitions, Argyle desperately needs a win, even in the Vertu Trophy, to boost morale. With qualification already secured, a victory against Bristol Rovers would provide a much-needed confidence boost.
Changes in the Line-up
Luca Ashby-Hammond is expected to take the goalkeeper spot in Hazard's absence. On-loan Charlton Athletic defender Alex Mitchell is likely to replace Galloway. Cleverley will need to carefully consider his formation and player selection to compensate for the missing players.
- Goalkeeper: Luca Ashby-Hammond
- Defender: Alex Mitchell (likely replacement for Galloway)