Preview: Lincoln City vs Plymouth Argyle - prediction, team news, lineups

Still searching for their first points of the League One season after their relegation last time around, Plymouth Argyle will travel to the LNER Stadium to take on Lincoln City on Saturday.

The visitors recorded a midweek EFL Cup victory after losing their first two games of the league campaign, while their hosts have won two of their first three competitive outings, including Tuesday's cup tie.

Match preview

Lincoln City return to League One action on Saturday aiming to make it two wins from their first three third-tier outings of the campaign.

Aiming to improve on an 11th-placed finish last time around in what was a first full season under the management of Michael Skubala, the Imps made a perfect start at the LNER Stadium in early August, prevailing in a 2-0 triumph over Reading having led early through a Finley Burns own goal before Reeco Hackett-Fairchild doubled the lead in the 67th minute.

A trip to newly-promoted AFC Wimbledon then followed last weekend, but Skubala's men were unable to make it back-to-back three-point hauls, instead leaving empty-handed following a 2-0 defeat of their own as Mathew Stevens and Nathan Asiimwe scored for the hosts after Adam Jackson's 23rd-minute red card.

They now head into the weekend having returned to winning ways in EFL Cup action on Tuesday, progressing to the second round with a 3-1 away win over Harrogate Town having led 3-0 until injury time through Jack Moylan, Freddie Draper and Rob Street.

Now turning their focus back to England's third tier with cause for optimism following two wins from their first three outings, Lincoln City will bid to take their tally to six points and make it two victories from two home games on Saturday.

They meet a visiting side who will bid to get off the mark at the third time of asking at the weekend on their return to League One.

After suffering relegation from the Championship last time around, Plymouth Argyle headed into the third-tier campaign under the new management of Tom Cleverley, and they are yet to open their account in two attempts in their bid to win an immediate promotion back.

The Pilgrims began at home to Barnsley and came away empty-handed, eventually losing 3-1 having pulled back to 2-1 through Caleb Watts early in the second half, as Davis Keillor-Dunn went on to put the game out of sight four minutes from time.

A tough trip to Bolton Wanderers then followed last weekend, and Eoin Toal and Mason Burstow condemned Cleverley's men to a second straight defeat with goals either side of the interval, although the Pilgrims do at least head into the weekend on the back of a confidence-boosting midweek EFL Cup win.

They hosted second-tier QPR and advanced with a comeback 3-2 triumph thanks to a Brendan Wiredu goal and an Owen Oseni brace in the second half, and Plymouth Argyle will now bid to build on that improvement and record a first victory of the League One campaign on Saturday.

Lincoln City League One form:

Lincoln City form (all competitions):

WLW

Plymouth Argyle League One form:

Plymouth Argyle form (all competitions):

LLW

Team News

Lincoln City remain without defender Adam Jackson, who is suspended after his red card last weekend, while Ben House, Dom Jefferies and Lewis Montsma are sidelined by injuries.

Freddie Draper will hope to lead the attack after getting on the scoresheet in their midweek cup tie, while Jack Moylan and Rob Street will keep their places at the top end of the pitch.

Conor McGrandles should return from the outset and join Tom Bayliss in the engine room, while Ryley Towler will partner Sonny Bradley in the middle of the defence again in Jackson's place.

Plymouth Argyle continue to contend with several injury issues, with goalkeeper Conor Hazard sidelined alongside Joe Edwards, Julio Pleguezuelo, Jack MacKenzie and Freddie Issaka.

Owen Oseni should keep his place in attack, despite competition from Aribim Pepple, after scoring a brace in their midweek cup win, while Caleb Watts is a danger man following his summer switch from Exeter City.

Bali Mumba and Xavier Amaechi should complete the attacking unit in their 4-2-3-1 setup, while Bradley Ibrahim and Malachi Boateng will likely continue their midfield partnership.

Lincoln City possible starting lineup:

Wickens; Darikwa, Bradley, Towler, Hamer; Bayliss, McGrandles; Street, Moylan, Hackett-Fairchild; Draper

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup:

Ashby-Hammond; Sorinola, Szucs, Palsson, Galloway; Ibrahim, Boateng; Amaechi, Watts, Mumba; Oseni

We say: Lincoln City 2-1 Plymouth Argyle

Arguably meeting Plymouth Argyle at a good time with the visitors yet to get going under Cleverley, we back Lincoln City to take all three points on home turf at the weekend.

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