Plymouth Argyle

Home Park is set for a memorable afternoon on Sunday as Premier League leaders Liverpool visit Plymouth in the FA Cup fourth round (15:00 GMT).

The eight-time winners edged-out Argyle in a replay on their only previous encounter in the competition, but this time around the Greens have won only five Championship games this season to sit bottom of the table, 43 places below the Reds in the ladder.

• Plymouth Argyle's only previous FA Cup tie with Liverpool in the 2017 third round saw them draw 0-0 at Anfield as a fourth tier side, before losing 1-0 in a replay at Home Park.

• Liverpool are unbeaten in their past eight games against Plymouth in all competitions (W5 D3) since suffering a 4-0 away defeat in February 1956 under manager Don Welsh.

• Plymouth Argyle are looking to reach the FA Cup fifth round for just the fifth time, last doing so in 2006-07. The Pilgrims have gone out in the fourth round on four occasions since then, including last season against Leeds United.

• The team starting the day top of the Premier League has only been eliminated from the FA Cup on three occasions previously by a side from outside the top-flight – Leeds against Cardiff in 2001-02, Chelsea against Bradford in 2014-15 and Man City against Wigan in 2017-18.

• Liverpool's Diogo Jota has been involved in 10 goals in his 12 FA Cup appearances (6 goals, 4 assists) and has scored (2 goals) or assisted (1 goal) in all three of his away games in the competition.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you for your views on Plymouth Argyle's winter transfer window dealings.

Generally, the theme was positive, especially the additions of Maksym Talovierov, Tymoteusz Puchacz and Nikola Katic in defence, as the club twice broke its record for a fee paid and also received a club record £5m plus add-ons for Morgan Whittaker.

Will it be enough for Miron Muslic's side to beat the drop?

Here is a selection of what Pilgrims fans had to say...

Terry: It is lovely to see that Argyle have purchased players with some credible skills. The loan market has been good to us, but I felt the last group didn't have the heart nor courage to truly excel in the Championship. With players being brought in, they all have so much to prove, and with their respective personal statuses, they should be cementing their places in the team and showing other clubs what they are capable of.

Moose: Good signings! We trust the management and these players to do their very best to keep us up or, if not, to return us to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Chezzbo: Complete and utter disgrace. Waiting in anticipation just for the window to open, never mind to keep up with our business during it. We needed essentially a new team of players. Sold our best defender and attacker and didn't put that money back into the team like we needed. An extreme gamble from the higher-ups, and if we do end up going down, we know whose fault it is.

Matthew: I think the window was honestly a solid 8 out of 10. Players in and some senior players out. Whittaker and Gibson were big losses, but the money should help plug the leaky defence.

Keith: First impressions of Talovierov, Katic and Puchacz are excellent, and maybe bringing in Boateng will allow Randell to support the attack more.

Image source, Rex Features

Ricardo: A big change of style and a bit early to tell, but Miron seems to have a positive but realistic approach, and the signings look good. I'm still optimistic about staying up but could accept the alternative as long as we go down fighting.

Chris: Honestly, think we have done well on the defensive side, so hopefully we can stop leaking goals, which will make us harder to beat, but my concern is not getting another attacker, as you can defend well, but you still need to score goals.

Steve: Good business, and great to see the new manager shoring up our weak defence. If this works, we have a chance of staying up!

Roger: There are signs the Muslic strategy is having an effect. There is still time to gather enough points to beat the drop, but a lot of catching up to do. The key will be beating the clubs we face in the bottom half, but the last two performances will have given the players a huge lift.

David: Time will tell, but I think we have done well. We have certainly strengthened the defence. A striker would have been nice; hopefully we have enough goals in the team to keep us up.

Pad: You've got to roll the dice. Hopefully they will have the desired effect. The Great Escape is on....

Image source, Rex Features

It was all go off the field as Plymouth Argyle broke record for players coming to, and going from, Home Park.

Lewis Gibson left for more than £1m to Preston North End early in the window before the Pilgrims received a club-record £5m plus add-ons from Middlesbrough for influential forward Morgan Whittaker.

In terms of incomings, Argyle twice broke their record for a fee paid - first when Michael Baidoo joined from Elfsborg early in the month and then again last week when Ukraine centre-back Maksym Talovierov agreed a three-and-a-half-year deal.

And don't forget the loan signings of Poland wing-back Tymoteusz Puchacz and centre-back Nikola Katic, as well as the deadline day purchase of Hearts midfielder Malachi Boateng.

Has the club done enough to turn a corner and get out of the relegation places? Or is this just an expensive blow-out before the inevitable drop?

Tell us what you think about Argyle' transfer dealings below...

Let us know your thoughts here.

Image source, Rex Features

Plymouth Argyle boss Miron Muslic says his side's 'defensive structure' was the key to their 2-1 home win over promotion-chasing West Bromwich Albion.

Argyle had some luck with both substitute Ryan Hardie's two late strikes - the first of them an extremely controversial penalty - but Argyle also did well to limit an Albion side who had scored five goals the week before to such few chances.

The Championship's bottom club this week broke their transfer record to sign Ukraine international defender Maksym Talovierov, who made his debut alongside fellow new Bosnian loan signing Nikola Katic in a new-look five-man back line.

Argyle's total of 63 Championship goals conceded in 30 games this season is still comfortably the worst in the EFL - but they are much improved from the side who suffered five separate league defeats by four goals or more under previous boss Wayne Rooney prior to Christmas.

"I spoke about having to change the mentality in the locker room," Muslic told BBC Radio Devon. "You can't change 15 players. It's about signing the right players.

"I was very pleased with our defensive structure. We need to stabilise the team and I think we did that.

"I am very proud and very happy for the lads. Not being able to win a game in three months does something to your mind, to your heart, to your legs. Everything becomes heavy. More difficult.

"I said last week against Sunderland was proof of life and this was another step forward. We didn't deserve to lose this game. We kept pushing and we got our rewards. It takes a lot of guts to come back from 1-0 down when you are in our position, but we did it.

"I was very pleased with Ryan Hardie. He scored two good goals. He wasn't pleased before the game because he wanted to play, and that's good. But he showed bravery to take the penalty and then he got the winner."

Image source, Rex Features

West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Mowbray was dumbfounded by a sense of deja vu after seeing his side beaten 2-1 at Home Park by two late match-turning Ryan Hardie goals for Plymouth Argyle.

After taking the lead on 71 minutes, Albion were stunned three minutes later by a disputed penalty for handball - then Hardie added a second two minutes from the end with another goal that must have been very close to being chalked off too - this time for offside.

"We lost 2-1 here when I was with Sunderland - and it turned out to be one of those days again," said Mowbray.

"It was a really, really controversial decision. It was never a penalty kick, from someone who played the game for 20 years and has managed for 20 years.

"The referee's decision to give a pen I cannot understand. Even if it does hit his hand, he couldn't do anything about it. The boy is two yards away and smashes it straight at him. Is there a rule that says you have to put your hand behind your back now? But you have to take these types of decisions in your stride.

"Refs don't have to come out and talk to people after games. No doubt he would defend the decision and say it was right but I would find it difficult to understand how he would condone it.

"We found a way to lose a game we should never have lost. It is quite remarkable really. It's amazing we lost that game. We had such control. They didn't threaten that much and I couldn't see how they were going to score.

"I'm not sure how we lost that to be honest. Probably not enough shots? They played five across the back and they played a lot deeper than they normally do. We found it difficult to break them down. We have to put the ball in the back of the net when we're on top."

Image source, Getty Images

Miron Muslic says he is pleased to have finally had the chance to get a run of training sessions with his Plymouth Argyle side.

Muslic, who succeeded Wayne Rooney as head coach earlier this month, has had midweek matches every week since taking over until now.

The free midweek has allowed Muslic and his coaching team time to work on his tactical systems as he tries to guide the Pilgrims out of the Championship relegation zone.

"We used every single day on the pitch, we used every single day also inside this room in terms of analysis," Muslic said before his side's game with West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

"We also started with a new schedule for the players in terms of arriving, breakfast, pre-activation, meetings, after prep.

"So small steps, but important steps to make us competitive, so I'm very happy with the week so far.

"I'm very pleased also with the performance of the lads, the players are pushing and I like this a lot."

Image source, Getty Images

Plymouth Argyle head coach Miron Muslic says the club could be close to signing Ukraine defender Maksym Talovierov from Austrian side LASK.

The 24-year-old has been the subject of speculation linking him with a move to the Championship side for the past week.

Argyle are in need of defensive reinforcements with Brendan Galloway out for the season and Lewis Gibson having left for Preston North End earlier this month.

"He's a nice player, he's a nice profile and that's a profile and a kind of player I like," Muslic said of Talovierov.

"So let's see, things are moving and hopefully very soon we will have some confirmation."

Argyle have also been linked with Slovenia midfielder Adrian Zeljkovic from Spartak Trnava.

The 22-year-old made his full international debut a year ago against the United States.

Muslic says he is confident he will have new faces in his squad in time for the visit of West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

"I think we are very close - I think some names are already outside, some rumours already outside," he told BBC Radio Devon.

"I think the plan is to have some players arriving tonight, hopefully everything can be done so we could have them in the session tomorrow," he added on Thursday.

"It's a hectic transfer window, not only for us, for everyone involved."

Bottom side Plymouth Argyle welcome West Bromwich Albion to Home Park on Saturday lunchtime looking for a first win in 16 Championship games.

The Pilgrims are seven points adrift from safety, while the fifth-placed Baggies have lost just one of their past six (W2 D3) games and are looking to strengthen their play-off bid.

• Plymouth Argyle have failed to win any of their past nine league games against West Bromwich Albion (D2 L7), failing to score in each of their past four against the Baggies.

• After winning just one of their first 13 away league games against Plymouth Argyle (D5 L7), West Bromwich Albion have since won each of their past three such matches since November 2007.

• Plymouth are winless across their past 15 league games since early November (D7 L8), conceding 2.5 goals per outing across that period. The Pilgrims have never endured a longer run without victory across their EFL history.

• West Brom have lost just three of their past 21 league games (W5 D13), though all three defeats have come away from home during that time.

• Plymouth have conceded the most goals in the Championship this season (62), while they've also shipped the most goals from open play (45) and from corners (10) of any side in the division.

Plymouth Argyle are set to sign Ukraine centre-back Maksym Taloverov from Austrian Bundesliga side LASK after the two clubs agreed a fee of £1.7m. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Tuesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Rex Features

Plymouth Argyle head coach Miron Muslic believes his side are "moving slowly" forward after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Sunderland.

Nathanael Ogbeta snatched a late equaliser in the 90th minute for struggling Argyle who currently sit bottom of the Championship table seven points from safety.

The draw, on the back of a 5-0 thrashing to Burnley at home in midweek, gave Bosnian-born coach Muslic his second point in four league games since replacing Wayne Rooney.

"It's a step forward. We are moving slowly, but we are moving and that's the most important thing," Muslic told BBC Radio Devon.

"We've had challenging days behind us, if you lose the game 5-0 just a couple of days ago and then you know you have to come to Sunderland facing one of the strongest teams, especially here.

"It takes courage, and I'm very happy that we showed this reaction and we showed this character."

Plymouth's move for Sparta Rotterdam defender Mike Eerdhuizen has reportedly fallen through with the player unwilling to join Argyle's fight against relegation.(Sky Sports, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column.