Sam Cosgrove pushing for Plymouth start as Oxford visit Home Park

Sam Cosgrove could have played his way into Plymouth’s starting line-up for the home clash with Oxford.

Striker Cosgrove joined Argyle on loan from Birmingham on transfer deadline day and scored twice after coming on as a 75th-minute substitute to snatch his side a 3-2 win at Derby last time out.

He has since impressed manager Steven Schumacher in training and looks likely to feature more prominently against the U’s.

Goalkeeper Mike Cooper is expected to make his 100th successive League One appearance for the club, but James Bolton, Mickel Miller and Conor Grant are out. Grant is closest to a return as he overcomes a calf problem.

Oxford boss Karl Robinson looks set to be without six first-team players once again.

Striker Sam Baldock (thigh) and winger Josh Murphy (hamstring) are said to be closing in on returns, but Yanic Wildschut, Elliott Moore, Matty Taylor and Steve Seddon also remain absent.

Moore has undergone scans in an attempt to get to the bottom of a thigh issue.

Wildschut is a long-term absentee as he struggles to overcome a pre-season hamstring problem.