Saturday Match File ... a focus on Rotherham United’s next opponents

The Pilgrims, who were relegated from the Championship last season, were expected to challenge at the top end of the table but have endured a difficult start to the campaign.

They are in 23rd spot, and their only third-tier victories on home soil have come against Blackpool (1-0) on August 23 and Stockport County (4-2) on September 6.

One to watch

Centre-half/midfielder Brendan Wiredu was a Rotherham target in the summer transfer before the Fleetwood Town man decided to make Home Park his next destination. The London-born 26-year-old overcame a tough start to life in the south west to become a first-team regular but has been on the bench for the last few weeks. He was in Charlton Athletic's youth ranks before coming to prominence with Colchester United and earning a move to Fleetwood in 2022.

Form guide

Plymouth: LLWLWL *

The Pilgrims followed up a 1-0 Vertu Trophy victory at Leyton Orient with a 1-0 home loss against Bradford City last Saturday

* Not including Tuesday evening's League One visit to Wycombe

Millers: DWDDDW*

* Not including last night's home clash with Blackpool

Rotherham have 27 wins to their name and Plymouth 30 in 74 contests between the clubs since 1952

Past clashes

Apr 5 2024, Championship: Millers 0 Argyle 1

Dec 16 2023, Championship: Argyle 3 Millers 2

Jamie Lindsay, Tom Eaves

Feb 26 2022: League One: Argyle 0 Millers 1

Michael Smith

Aug 2 2021, League One: Millers 2 Argyle 0

Freddie Ladapo, Ben Wiles

The last match

Relegation from the Championship for Leam Richardson's Rotherham was confirmed a month before the close of the 2023/24 campaign when a Bali Mumba goal gave the Pilgrims a 1-0 April win at AESSEAL New York Stadium. It was a season to forget for the Millers who started with Matt Taylor in charge and then sacked his successor, Richardson, after only five months.

Opposition boss

Tom Cleverley became Argyle head coach in June after a spell in charge of Championship Watford. He has come under pressure as the Pilgrims have struggled this term and found themselves in the drop zone. Argyle have recently appointed former boss Derek Adams as director of football and there is speculation that he will return to the hot-seat if results don't improve. Cleverley, aged 36, was a Manchester United, Everton and Watford midfielder during his playing days and won 13 England caps.

Man in the middle

David Rock spent five seasons in the National League before making his EFL bow at the start of the 2018/18 season and he has refereed in Leagues One and Two ever since. The Hertfordshire official has taken charge of 19 games this term, sending off two players and issuing 91 yellow cards. His last experience of the Millers came in September when Stockport County were 1-0 victors at New York.

The odds

The bookmakers view Rotherham as underdogs, despite Plymouth's poor run. A home win is 11/10 and an away victory 9/4. A draw is also 9/4.