Plymouth Argyle

Image source, Rex Features

Goalkeeper Marko Marosi has left Plymouth Argyle following the expiration of his short-term contract.

The 31-year-old Slovakian joined the Pilgrims in September after Northern Ireland goalkeeper Conor Hazard underwent ankle surgery.

The former Shrewsbury Town and Coventry City player did not make a first-team appearance for the Pilgrims but was a regular understudy to Dan Grimshaw.

But with Hazard's return to fitness Argyle have enough goalkeeping cover.

"Despite not making an appearance for Argyle, Marko has been an exemplary squad member and provided valuable cover while Conor Hazard was out with injury," a club statement read.

"He showed true professionalism during his time at the club and everyone at Argyle would like to wish Marko all the best for his future career."

Image source, Rex Features

Defender Saxon Earley has returned to Plymouth Argyle after spending the first half of the season on loan at Lincoln City.

The 22-year-old failed to make an appearance in League One for the Imps but played twice in the EFL Trophy and featured in their 4-0 win at Chesham United in the FA Cup first round in November.

Earley started his career with Norwich City before joining Argyle in January 2023 and has scored two goals in five starts.

He ended last season on loan at Wycombe Wanderers.

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport England

Image source, Rex Features

Miron Muslic says he has not had any time to think about Plymouth Argyle's forthcoming FA Cup tie against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

The Pilgrims will face the six times champions of Europe early next month after beating Brentford in the third round on Saturday.

Muslic, who was appointed late on Friday night, was in the stands for the victory and takes charge of his first game on Tuesday night when Argyle host fellow Championship strugglers Oxford United.

The Pilgrims are bottom of the second tier and parted company with head coach Wayne Rooney on 31 December.

The Liverpool tie will be Muslic's sixth game in charge, five of which are at Home Park.

"I'm not thinking about stuff like this," Muslic told BBC Sport when asked about Liverpool's visit.

"The last 72 hours has been so much for me and I've tried to maximize my attention towards the team.

"I tried maximise my attention towards the things I can immediately impact, and this is my team and Oxford and QPR next Saturday.

"Liverpool is far, far away. So when Liverpool is in front of us two days before I will jump in on Arne Slot and Liverpool for sure, but not before."

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport England

Image source, Rex Features

New Plymouth Argyle head coach Miron Muslic says he has been impressed with the support he has had in his first few days in the job.

The 42-year-old Austrian has taken charge of the Championship's bottom side after Wayne Rooney left the club on 31 December.

Muslic was in the stands for Argyle's 1-0 FA Cup third round win at Premier League side Brentford before returning to Devon alongside members of the club's renowned fanbase.

"I'm here for 72 hours and I met a million people in the last 72 hours, but every time I had the feeling 'these are good people, these are honest, hardworking, straight people," he told BBC Sport.

"Maybe that's why I also felt immediately this connection, because I'm also trying to be hardworking, try to be honest, try to be straight, try to be open minded.

"I had a very interesting trip from London to Plymouth on the train for four hours with the Green Army. I know every single supporter in and out, but it was very important for me to be on that train.

"I was not expecting this, but at this moment I realised it means a lot to them.

"And it means a lot to me. This is now my new home, this is my club, these are my colours, this is also my patch and I'm here to give it my all."

Miron Muslic will take charge of his first game as Plymouth Argyle boss when the Championship's bottom side welcome Oxford United to Home Park on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).

The Pilgrims are winless in their past 11 league games (D5 L6), although did stun Premier League side Brentford with a 1-0 win in the FA Cup third round on Saturday.

By contrast, the 17th-placed U's are unbeaten in four league games since Gary Rowett took charge (W3 D1) but were dumped out of the FA Cup by League One Exeter at the weekend.

• Plymouth Argyle have won four of their past five league games against Oxford United (L1), though that sole defeat did come in the reverse fixture earlier this season (2-0).

• Oxford United have lost each of their past two away league games against Plymouth 1-0 and could lose three such matches in succession for the first time since August 1989.

• Plymouth have drawn four of their past six home league games (W1 L1), while only Carrow Road (49) and Hillsborough (42) have seen more Championship goals this season than Home Park (39).

• Oxford are unbeaten in each of their past four league games (W3 D1), with no other Championship side picking up more points than them in the competition since Boxing Day.

• All four of Ruben Rodrigues' Championship goals for Oxford this season have come away from home, netting in each of their past two such games at Millwall and Preston.

Burnley have renewed their interest in Plymouth Argyle forward Morgan Whittaker, having been unable to secure a deal for the 24-year-old in the summer. (Burnley Express, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip here.

Brent Pilnick
BBC Sport England

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It is a dream tie in the FA Cup for Plymouth Argyle as Premier League leaders Liverpool are set to come to town next month.

The Pilgrims will be hoping they can go one better than the last time these two sides met in the third round eight years ago.

At Anfield Argyle held a young Liverpool side to a 0-0 draw as 9,000 members of the Green Army made the 293-mile trip to Merseyside.

It took one of the rarest of footballing feats - a Luca Leiva header - to separate the sides 1-0 in the replay at Home Park as Divock Origi had a penalty saved by Luke McCormick as the then-League Two side frustrated Jurgen Klopp's team.

Fast forward to 2025 and Argyle are bottom of the Championship and have just seen Wayne Rooney - hero of Liverpool's arch rivals Everton and Manchester United - leave his role as head coach.

It will be a first taste of FA Cup football for his replacement Miron Muslic and a first-ever away FA Cup tie for Klopp's successor Arne Slot.

Argyle may well be struggling in the league and have won just five times at Home Park in all competitions this season, but their tails will be up.

They upset Premier League opposition in the last round when they beat Brentford 1-0 and the squad will be keen to impress their new head coach.

Liverpool cannot afford to take the Pilgrims lightly in their quest to win trophies on four fronts.

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.

For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.

Sutton's prediction: 5-0

Plymouth are another managerless club. They also have a terrible defensive record this season so you really fear for them here, off the back of Brentford's 5-0 win at Southampton last weekend.

The Bees are definitely going to bag a few more goals here too. Plymouth have not won away all season and have only scored three times on the road, and this is going to be a very difficult day for them all round.

Billy's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Kevin Nancekivell says he wants Plymouth Argyle to create more FA Cup memories when his side faces Brentford on Saturday.

The Pilgrims can put their recent league difficulties to one side as they head to the Premier League club in the third round.

Nancekivell is in interim charge as the Championship's bottom side search for a new head coach to replace Wayne Rooney.

Brentford are the third top-flight side the Pilgrims have faced in the past decade, having taken Liverpool to a replay in 2017 and narrowly losing in extra time at then-European champions Chelsea in 2022.

Plymouth's best-ever finish in the competition was reaching the semi-finals in 1983-84 when they were beaten 1-0 by Graham Taylor's Watford at Villa Park.

"The FA Cup is special to everybody," Nancekivell told BBC Radio Devon.

"This football club, one of its biggest days was 1984 and the FA Cup semi final, so we want more days like that.

"We've had some good days at Arsenal, we've had some good days against Liverpool, Chelsea wasn't so long ago as well.

"So we want to build on that and we want to add Brentford to that list of achievements.

"We're under no illusions how difficult the task is going to be, but we've got no fear at the minute.

"We can go up there, we can take away the pressures of the league, enjoy ourselves and see what we can do."

Image source, Getty Images

Brentford have never beaten Plymouth in the FA Cup in nine previous meetings (drawn three, lost six) - most recently a 2-1 defeat in a first-round replay in 1998-99.

Image source, Getty Images

Plymouth Argyle interim manager Kevin Nancekivell says he is excited by the prospect of record signing Michael Baidoo making his debut.

The 25-year-old Ghana forward moved to the club from Swedish side Elfsborg last week and has been settling into life in Devon.

Baidoo is expected to play at some point in the FA Cup third round tie away at Premier League side Brentford on Saturday as the Pilgrims try and turn their poor form around.

Argyle, who are bottom of the Championship, have not won a game in 14 matches and saw head coach Wayne Rooney leave the club on 31 December.

"He's going to be an exciting player for us," Nancekivell said.

"He's a forward-thinking player, he can play as a frontman as a nine or he can play 10 or an eight, so he's technically very good.

"It'll be nice to get him up to speed to the rigours of English football and I've liked what I've seen so far."