Match Preview | Cambridge United v Argyle
Argyle will look to rebound from only their third defeat of the season as they travel to Cambridge United on Saturday (3pm).
A home defeat to Port Vale ended a 15-game unbeaten streak, but the Pilgrims remain top of Sky Bet League One as they head for the Abbey Stadium.
Cambridge are 20th in League One, with 20 points from 20 games. They began the campaign well, getting 16 points from their first ten games but they have earned just four in their latest ten. Most recently, they lost 2-1 at Forest Green Rovers, and prior to that, their previous home game was a 1-0 home defeat against Accrington Stanley.
United's form at the Abbey Stadium has been particularly mixed. Cambridge won their first four home league games of the season, defeating Milton Keynes Dons, Exeter City, Burton Albion and Lincoln City. However, they have since played Barnsley, Derby County, Sheffield Wednesday, Port Vale, Bolton Wanderers and Accrington, generating just one point, a 0-0 draw against Bolton. Cambridge have failed to score in all six of the aforementioned games.
Cambridge are managed by 36-year-old Mark Bonner, who took the job in March 2020. He had previously worked for the club since 2011, in a serious of Academy roles, rising to first-team coach. In his first full season as manager, Bonner took Cambridge to promotion from League One, and steered the U's to 14th in 2021/22.
Defender Lloyd Jones is one of two Cambridge players to be ever present in the league this season. Now 27, Jones was born in Plymouth and was in Argyle's youth system until signing for Liverpool aged 16. He later moved to Luton Town and, whilst a Hatter, had a loan spell at Home Park in early 2019.
Cambridge's leading goalscorer this season is Sam Smith, who has scored five goals in all competitions. Joe Ironside and Harvey Knobs have four each. First-choice goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov was injured in October, meaning Will Mannion has stood in since. Mannion played one game for Argyle, as an emergency loan goalkeeper, in a Papa Johns Trophy defeat at Yeovil Town in November 2017.
When the sides met at the Abbey Stadium last season, Cambridge emerged victorious, winning 2-0 and ending a run of four straight league victories for Argyle. At Home Park, the game finished 1-1, with Luke Jephcott scoring Argyle's goal.
Schumacher Says
“Let's not forget that they did brilliantly last year. I know Mark; he's a good friend of mine, we speak on the phone every now and again to see how we’re both getting on.
“Lately they've struggled for results, but that's the flows of football. It doesn't go all your own way all the time, but I know for a fact he will have them really motivated this weekend and well organised to play against us.
“We had tough games against them last year - they took four points off us - so it's not an easy game at all - and it won't be like that on Saturday either.”
Team News
Dan Scarr returns to the Argyle squad having been out since coming off in Argyle's Emirates FA Cup defeat at Grimsby Town.
Fellow defender Nigel Lonwijk came off in last Friday's game against Port Vale, but Schumacher says he ought to be fine to play.
A further member of the backline, Brendan Galloway, is a doubt having not trained on Thursday.
Tickets
Away tickets for this game are still available, and can be purchased from Cambridge on the ay of the game.
If you have bought tickets but not yet collected them, they will be available for collection on Saturday from 1pm at the ground.
If you were expecting tickets to arrive in the post, and they have not arrived, please either call the Home Park Ticket Office on 01752 907700 or email tickets@pafc.co.uk by 3pm on Friday, 9 December and we can arrange duplicates for collection on Saturday as above.
A Strip for the Trip
Argyle will be wearing the white away kit for this game.
Argyle TV
The game will be covered on Argyle TV, with commentary from Charlie Price and former Argyle Academy coach Aaron Cusack . Both will be on hand for a pre-match show which will be available for free on YouTube from 2pm.
The game is available to stream for domestic and overseas supporters.
