Matchday Four of the EFL Championship: Plymouth Argyle vs. Stoke City

As we head into another match in the EFL Championship, we expect to see a fascinating encounter between two teams that haven't had the best start to this campaign. So far, in the three matches played, both teams haven't accumulated many points and find themselves near the lower part of the EFL Championship standings.

This will be an important match for both teams, as they will both be looking for a victory to continue adding points, climbing the EFL Championship table, and moving away from the relegation zone.

READ MORE: The Potters Continue Their EFL Cup Run | Middlesbrough 0-5 Stoke City

An Intriguing Match Preview

These two teams will look to show what they are made of and why they have prepared well during the preseason. It will be particularly important for Steve Schumacher's side to return to winning ways, as they have unfortunately suffered two consecutive defeats in the EFL Championship, the last being a painful 2-1 home loss to West Brom Albion.

On the other hand, Plymouth Argyle's last EFL Championship match was against Queen's Park Rangers, which ended in a 1-1 draw, a match that was quite even with neither side gaining a significant advantage. However, if we look back at the most recent meeting between these two teams, we turn to the EFL Cup, where both teams competed just a few days ago on August 27th. Stoke City managed to secure a fantastic 5-0 victory over Middlesbrough, advancing to the next round, while Plymouth Argyle was eliminated after a 2-0 defeat to Watford.

This gives us an idea of where each team stands, and we expect a thrilling and emotional match as Steve Schumacher seems to have found the right formula for his team's attack to score plenty of goals.

A Very Even Head-to-Head Record

Looking at the recent history between these two teams, the last two encounters have been quite balanced. Earlier this year, in the previous EFL Championship season, Stoke City defeated Plymouth Argyle on April 20th in a match that wasn't particularly significant, as both teams were already out of the playoff race.

However, Plymouth Argyle also has a victory against Stoke City. This occurred on December 2nd, 2023, also in the previous season, where they secured a narrow 2-1 win.

Now both teams are preparing in the best possible way. Steve Schumacher hopes to have Lewis Koumas, who is in fantastic form, available for the attack, as well as Million Manhoef, with expectations of seeing both players in the starting lineup for this crucial match.