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

Bristol City will look to claim a third consecutive victory when they travel to Home Park for a New Year's Day clash against Plymouth Argyle.

Meanwhile, the Pilgrims are hoping for improved fortunes in the new year after finishing 2024 with a nine-game winless run.

Match preview

Plymouth head into the new year without a permanent manager after they announced on Tuesday that Wayne Rooney had left his position by mutual agreement.

The 39-year-old leaves the Pilgrims languishing at the foot of the Championship table after overseeing four wins, six draws and 13 defeats in 23 league matches.

Rooney lost six of his final seven matches in charge (D1), including defeats in Plymouth's final two outings of 2024.

Plymouth slumped to a heavy 4-0 loss in their Boxing Day clash against Coventry City, before they fell to a 2-0 defeat in Sunday's away clash with Oxford United, leading to boos from the away support at the Kassam Stadium.

That disappointing away trip proved to be Rooney's final game in charge, as the club now begin their search for a new manager, leaving first-team coach Kevin Nancekivell and club captain Joe Edwards to take charge of the team for Wednesday's home fixture against Bristol City.

With four points separating them from safety, the Pilgrims will be desperate to claim a league victory over the Robins for the first time since March 2010.

In contrast to their hosts, Bristol City enjoyed a successful end to the calendar year, recording back-to-back home victories against Luton Town and Portsmouth.

Scott Twine scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 win over the Hatters, before the Robins scored three goals in the opening 35 minutes to clinch maximum points in Sunday's clash with Pompey.

Anis Mehmeti netted a brace alongside a Rob Dickie effort to fire Bristol City to their second straight win without conceding, moving the Robins up to 10th place and to within four points of the playoffs.

After competing in consecutive home games, Bristol City will now head on their travels with hopes of ending their four-game winless away run.

The Robins have failed to score in three of those four road trips, but they may still fancy their chances of exploiting a Plymouth side that have the league's worst defensive record with 51 goals conceded.

Bristol City will also take confidence from the fact that they have won each of their last three competitive games against Plymouth, including a dominant 4-0 victory in November's reverse fixture.

Plymouth Argyle Championship form:

Bristol City Championship form:

Team News

Plymouth are likely to be without Michael Obafemi, Muhamed Tijani, Mustapha Bundu and Edwards due to injury.

Callum Wright will serve the second game of a three-match ban after being shown a straight red card in the Boxing Day defeat against Coventry.

Ibrahima Cissoko is closing in on a return to action, but it remains to be seen whether he will be ready to feature in Wednesday's matchday squad.

As for the visitors, Liam Manning will be unable to call upon the injured trio of Joe Williams, Sinclair Armstrong and Adam Murphy.

Kal Naismith and Mark Sykes are making progress in their respective recoveries, but the pair are not expected to return in time for the trip to Home Park.

Buoyed from Sunday's brace, Mehmeti will offer one of Bristol City's main attacking threats, especially as he scored two goals and provided an assist in November's 4-0 win over Plymouth.

Plymouth Argyle possible starting lineup: Hazard; Mumba, Szucs, Gibson, Galloway; Whittaker, Gyabi, Randell, Roberts, Sorinola; Hardie

Bristol City possible starting lineup: O'Leary; Vyner, Dickie, McNally; McCrorie, Knight, Bird, Pring; Twine, Mehmeti; Wells

We say: Plymouth Argyle 1-2 Bristol City

Bristol City will be in high spirits after claiming back-to-back home victories, and while they have struggled to enjoy that sort of success in recent away games, we think that they will do enough to condemn struggling Plymouth to a seventh defeat in eight matches.

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