Plymouth Argyle manager Tom Cleverley has confirmed that top scorer Bim Pepple is fit to face Huddersfield Town this Saturday. The Canadian forward missed last week's 2-1 win over AFC Wimbledon with a hamstring strain but has now recovered.
Cleverley told reporters that Pepple is ready to contribute, though his playing time will be carefully managed. "You obviously need the player’s buy-in, and we’ve 100% got that," Cleverley said. "He’s raring to go, he would have played last week had we let him." The manager indicated a plan for around 60 to 70 minutes for the 23-year-old, who has four goals in nine appearances this term.
Pepple's return is a significant boost for the league leaders, who sit first with 19 points from 10 games. His four goals this season, including a penalty in the recent draw with Newport County, have been central to their strong start.
Squad news and context
While Pepple returns, Joe Edwards will not be available after coming off early against Wimbledon, though he is expected back for Tuesday's trip to Stevenage. Defender Julio Pleguezuelo is also fit again after a knee issue. The match against fourth-placed Huddersfield represents a key test in the promotion race, with the visitors having let a two-goal lead slip late on last weekend.
Cleverley emphasised a cautious approach to avoid overloading Pepple. "We won’t be reckless with Bim," he stated. "For sure 60 minutes is an option, and then we’ll see where he is on Sunday with how we approach Tuesday." The manager's focus is on maintaining the squad's fitness through a busy schedule, with the full list of upcoming matches available on our fixtures page.
Plymouth's two-point lead at the summit adds extra weight to this home fixture. Pepple, who joined from Luton Town last year and scored 16 league goals in his debut season, will be aiming to add to his tally. His involvement on Saturday is set to be a decisive factor as Argyle look to consolidate their position at the top of the table.
The original report is at footballlowdown.com
