Monday 11 January 2021

PILGRIMS TO CROSS SWORDS WITH BLADES IN ROUND FOUR

After knocking out Huddersfield Town in the third round of the FA Cup, Plymouth Argyle will be heading to Yorkshire again in round four as they were drawn away to Premier League bottom club Sheffield United. 

Argyle's last meeting with the Blades came in the second round of the cup in the 2014-15 season at Bramall Lane.Sheffield United eventually won 3-0 in game that saw Jose Baxter, who would have a brief spell at Home Park under Pilgrims boss Ryan Lowe, net a brace of penalties with Marc McNulty scoring their third. However, their fourth round meeting will be taking place behind closed doors due to Covid-19 restrictions, so Sheffield United won't be able to make home advantage in quite the same manner in which they did in 2014.

In recent years, the Pilgrims have also faced Blades manager Chris Wilder on numerous occasions in his previous roles as manager of Oxford United and Northampton Town. Indeed, it was a 1-1 draw with Wilder's Oxford side in their penultimate home game of the 2011-12 campaign that saw Argyle avoid relegation from League Two - in a season that earlier seen them exit Administration. 

Should Lowe's men pull off another upset in the white rose county, they will be at home to either Millwall or Bristol City in the fifth round.