Barnsley‘s League One season begins with a long journey south to face Plymouth Argyle, who are beginning life under Tom Cleverley.
League One
Our Three Predictions For Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
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- Prediction 1 – Both Teams To Score – 7/4
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- Prediction 2 – Over 2.5 Goals Scored – 8/11
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- Prediction 3 – Barnsley To Win – 17/10
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First Prediction For Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley – Davis Keillor-Dunn To Score – 7/4
Barnsley look set to hold onto their key man going after rampant speculation this summer, and the 27-year-old is more than capable of keeping up last season’s momentum after making the step up to League One. Now partnered with David McGoldrick, The Tykes’ front line will want to continue to deliver and against a Plymouth side which has seen key defender Maksym Talovierov leave for Stoke City, this is a prime opportunity to start the season in the right way. Keillor-Dunn was one of League One’s best performers in front of goal and in creating chances last season, so there is no reason why the former Mansfield man cannot get on the scoresheet in Devon.
Second Prediction For Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley – Over 2.5 Goals Scored – 8/11
Whilst Barnsley’s attack thrived last season, the major issue for the club was their defence. The Oakwell side conceded 90 goals across all competitions and whilst there will be new faces such as Jack Shepherd after his successful loan at Bradford City, the core of the defence remains largely the same. Concerns about defence also blight the hosts, having lost Talovierov and holding midfielder Adam Randall with Brendan Wiredu-Sarpong and Bradley Ibrahim the replacements for those two. A step down will likely see this unit perform much better than their Championship record from the previous season, but face a dynamic attack in Barnsley and may not be able to shut out Keillor-Dunn and McGoldrick.
Third Prediction For Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley – Barnsley To Win – 17/10
Barnsley have looked strong under Conor Hourihane since his appointment, and now with a summer under his belt and keeping hold of many of their best players, there is reason for optimism at Oakwell. For Plymouth, they have lost many core of their squad, including Ryan Hardie, Rami Al Hajj and Adam Randall, and haven’t really replaced these players with known quantities. Striker especially is a concern with the untested Owen Oseni likely to lead the line unless Tom Cleverley can sign the new striker he wants before the season starts. With that in mind, Barnsley can outscore their opponents and that may hand them the win.
Best Odds For Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
| Bookmaker | Plymouth Argyle | Draw | Barnsley |
| Betarno | 23/20 | 5/2 | 17/10 |
| Gentleman Jim | 6/5 | 12/5 | 47/25 |
| Myriadplay | 23/20 | 13/5 | 37/20 |
Full Preview Of The Game: Last Results And Head-To-Head
Plymouth Argyle are in a completely different spot to where they were by the end of last season. Miron Muslic has since left for Schalke, leaving the Pilgrims move to appoint Tom Cleverley after his unjust sacking at Watford. His squad has changed too, with a complete rebuild in the striker department after selling Ryan Hardie to Wrexham alongside the losses of Rami Al Hajj and Mustapha Bundu. There haven’t been any big headline arrivals in Devon, with Jamie Paterson the most well-known after a free transfer move from Coventry City, whilst Aribim Pepple is their biggest outlay from Luton Town. They lost their most recent pre-season game to Bristol City 2-0, but nevertheless, Cleverley branded their efforts since returning to training as a success.
Barnsley have not had to do much transfer business this summer, with Conor Hourihane largely happy with his squad. David McGoldrick is their most high-profile move, recruiting him on a free transfer from Notts County after Didzy rejected a new deal at Meadow Lane. Murphy Cooper has joined on loan from Queens Park Rangers after his excellent stint at Stevenage last season. In terms of sales, not many key players have left as was originally touted, with Stephen Humphrys the highlight of the outgoing crop, heading to Bradford City. However, rumours continue to circulate about potential exits for Luca Connell and Davis Keillor-Dunn.
These two sides last met in March of 2023, with Barnsley decisively beating Plymouth at Oakwell in a season which saw the Pilgrims under Steven Schumacher cruise to the League One title with 101 points. The reverse game that season, also an opening day encounter, saw Argyle win through now-Middlesbrough man Finn Azaz.
Confrontation
Where To Watch Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
Where can I watch the game, either on TV or in person?
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- Location: Home Park, Plymouth, Devon, PL2 3DQ
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- Date: August 2nd, 2025
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This game is available to watch in the UK on Sky Sports+, with kick-off at 3 pm.
Probable Lineups For Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
What sort of lineup can we expect from this important League One clash?
Predicted Plymouth Argyle Lineup
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- Lineup: Ashby-Hammond; Edwards, Wiredu-Sarpong, Palsson, Mumba; Watts, Ibrahim, Paterson, Amaechi; Pepple, Oseni
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- Injured/Suspended: Hazard, Mackenzie, Pleguezuelo
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- Manager: Conor Hourihane
Media Centre – News Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
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- Manager: Conor Hourihane
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Media Centre – News Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
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- Manager: Conor Hourihane
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Media Centre – News Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
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- Manager: Tom Cleverley
Predicted Barnsley Lineup
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- Lineup: Cooper; de Gevigney, Shepherd, Earl, Ogbeta; Russell, Phillips, Connell; Jalo, Keillor-Dunn, McGoldrick
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- Injured/Suspended:
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- Manager: Conor Hourihane
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Media Centre – News Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
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- Manager: Tom Cleverley
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Predicted Barnsley Lineup
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- Lineup: Cooper; de Gevigney, Shepherd, Earl, Ogbeta; Russell, Phillips, Connell; Jalo, Keillor-Dunn, McGoldrick
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- Injured/Suspended:
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- Manager: Conor Hourihane
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Media Centre – News Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley
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- Manager: Tom Cleverley
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Predicted Barnsley Lineup
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- Lineup: Cooper; de Gevigney, Shepherd, Earl, Ogbeta; Russell, Phillips, Connell; Jalo, Keillor-Dunn, McGoldrick
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- Injured/Suspended:
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- Manager: Conor Hourihane
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