New signing George Hirst is on the bench but fellow new recruit Nathan Broadhead misses out as the Blues host leaders Plymouth in a top-of-the-table third-v-first clash in front of a sell-out crowd of more than 29,000 at Portman Road.

Broadhead, who joined from Everton for £1.5 million earlier in the week, has some muscle tightness and so is left out of the 18 as a precaution.

Hirst, who made one start in the final three months of his loan at Blackburn prior to parent club Leicester City loaning him to the Blues for the final half of the campaign, is among the subs and looks set to make his debut in the second half.

Town make three changes from their last league game, the 1-1 draw at Lincoln, with Leif Davis returning on the left for Greg Leigh, who is absent from the 18, Conor Chaplin in for Sone Aluko, who is also not in the squad, and one-time Argyle striker Freddie Ladapo is the number nine with Kayden Jackson on the bench.

Argyle are without skipper Joe Edwards, who is suspended with former Town defender James Wilson captaining in his place.

On-loan Sunderland midfielder Jay Matete is the only one of the Pilgrims’ five new signings to start with three, Ben Waine, Saxon Earley and Tyreik Wright, on the bench.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Burgess, Davis, Evans, Morsy (c), Burns, Chaplin, Harness, Ladapo. Subs: Hladky, Keogh, Vincent-Young, Humphreys, Edwards, Hirst, Jackson.

Plymouth: Cooper, Gillesphey, Wilson (c), Scarr, Hardie, Mayor, Ennis, Mumba, Randell, Lonwijk, Matete. Subs: Burton, Houghton, Cosgrove, Azaz, Waine, Earley, Wright. Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire).

Photo: ITFC

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