Match Pack: Plymouth vs Saints

THE MATCH

Plymouth Argyle vs Saints
Sky Bet Championship
Home Park
Saturday 19th August, 12.30pm BST

THE OFFICIALS

Referee: David Webb
Assistants: Rob Smith, Nigel Lugg
Fourth official: Tom Nield

WHAT KIT WILL SAINTS BE WEARING?

Saints will wear their teal and white away kit for the first time on Saturday, with teal shorts and all white socks.

HOW TO WATCH

The lunchtime action will be live on Sky Sports, with fans in selected countries outside the UK available to watch the game on Saints Play.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Both sides go into the weekend’s clash unbeaten after impressing during their opening two games of the new season.

Hosts Argyle were tipped by many to face challenges in the Championship despite their notable promotion from League One last season with 101 points.

But the acquisitions of Morgan Whittaker from Swansea and Bali Mumba from Norwich have helped change that perception, seeing off Huddersfield Town 3-1 on opening day then holding on for a respectable draw at Watford on matchday two.

Winning plaudits of their own for the late three points at Sheffield Wednesday on opening night, Saints will be looking to return to winning ways on Saturday afternoon after the frantic 4-4 draw with Norwich at St Mary’s last time out.

If there’s a winner on Saturday they will go top of the table for a few hours at least, as good an incentive if there ever was one.

TEAM NEWS

Argyle loan signing Kaine Kesler-Hayden is in line to return after recovering from injury that kept him out of the draw at Watford.

But the hosts will be without Brendan Galloway (leg injury delayed by illness) and Macaulay Gillesphey (recovering from a groin operation).

Russell Martin provided an update on Will Smallbone’s injury during the pre-match press conference, stating that although the midfielder will miss Saturday’s game he’s not likely to be out long term.

Smallbone will join Armel Bella-Kotchap (illness) and Alex McCarthy (recovering from a knock at Gillingham) on the sidelines this weekend.

THE MANAGERS

Steven Schumacher: “This game on Saturday is a whole new game. It's two teams who are going to try and figure each other out.

It's on Sky, so it'll be exciting. I'm looking forward to it. As long as we're organised and committed, then we'll have a good chance.”

Russell Martin: “They’re a really good team. They had a brilliant season last season. Steven [Schumacher] is a really good coach, good guy. The players believe in him and what they’re doing, they have momentum. They’ve started the season well.

“The preparation has been about us but we’re aware of them and what they possess. The challenge for us is to try and turn the game into what we want it to everywhere we go and to be the team we want to be everywhere we go.”

ONES TO WATCH

Bali Mumba: Signed for a record-equalling £1 million fee in the Summer from Norwich City, Mumba has certainly found his home in the south west.

After making the EFL League One team of the season with six goals in 47 appearances from wing-back, the youngster showed his worth once again on opening day; a sweeping solo run from the left flank, cutting through the Huddersfield defence, turning the game on its head.

Adam Armstrong: Two well-taken penalties last weekend meant Armstrong is slowly regaining his goalscoring touch for Saints as he continues to nail down that starting spot up top.

His last season in the division saw him record 28 goals in 40 games, something he’ll be aiming to replicate this campaign.

HEAD TO HEAD

Played: 92
Plymouth: 34
Draws: 26
Saints: 32

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

May 2011: Plymouth 1-3 Saints (Lambert x2, Dickson)
August 2010: Saints 0-1 Plymouth
December 2008: Plymouth 2-0 Saints
November 2008: Saints 0-0 Plymouth
February 2008: Saints 0-2 Plymouth

KEEP UP TO DATE

Can't make the early kick-off? We’ve got you covered! We’ll bring you all the behind-the-scenes content from Home Park alongside the in-game action.

Check out our interactive match centre at southamptonfc.com, with live streaming of the game for international fans, key updates and audio commentary of the match, and be sure to download the official Saints app and follow us on social media for further updates and exclusive content:

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