Joe Edwards set for first Plymouth Argyle start under Miron Muslic

Miron Muslic has admitted he is ready to include Joe Edwards in Plymouth Argyle's starting line-up for their crucial Championship away game against Middlesbrough on Good Friday.

It follows the impact made by the 34-year-old club captain as a half-time substitute for the relegation-threatened Pilgrims when they came from behind to beat promotion-chasing Sheffield United 2-1 at Home Park.

Argyle are still bottom of the table but are now level on points with Luton Town, two points adrift of Cardiff City and three behind Derby County. The Pilgrims do have a significantly worse goal difference than all three of those teams, though.

Edwards has yet to start a game for Argyle under Muslic. He was recovering from his long-term hamstring injury when the Austrian was appointed as head coach in January and has had very limited game time since returning to fitness because of the good form of Matty Sorinola at right wing-back.

However, Sorinola suffered a season-ending quadriceps injury when the Pilgrims were beaten 3-0 at Swansea City last Wednesday night. For the clash against Sheffield United, Muslic opted to move Bali Mumba across to right wing-back from the left, and he brought in Nathanael Ogbeta to play that position, with Edwards again on the bench.

Edwards was sent on for Ogbeta at the start of the second half, to loud cheers from the Green Army, as he made just his fourth substitute appearance for Argyle under Muslic. He slotted into the right wing-back role and Mumba reverted to the left, a switch which paid dividends as the Pilgrims came from behind to pick up three precious points.

Muslic said: "I said before the game it's important to start strong but it will be very important to finish strong. That's why I chose the situation and the set-up with Joe second half.

"I knew if we are struggling, if we have to do something extraordinary, like today to change a one-zero against Sheffield United into victory, Joe can help us over there.

"If he's already on the pitch maybe this moment will fade or disappear. Joe's first action was without touching the ball, lifting the crowd. That gave us the energy and the boost we needed."

Muslic added: "I knew if I start Joe I can't finish with him, he won't make it, 75-80 minutes, and the last 10, 15, 20 minutes could be crucial so I'm happy with my decision, or with our decision, and Joe did it today like a skipper. Brilliant."

Many of the Green Army had been hoping Edwards would finally be back in the team against Sheffield United in the absence of Sorinola so were disappointed he was named among the substitutes again.

Muslic said: "I think Joe himself was very frustrated but my job is not to keep them happy, my job is to win football games and to prepare plans for this. I think our plan as staff today, especially for Joe, was the right one. It's hard to imagine for me starting the next game without Joe."

That next game is against Middlesbrough, who are in eighth position in the Championship and two points outside the play-off places after their 1-0 defeat away to Millwall.

Muslic said: "I think Joe can be massive for us. He has now with this 45 minutes the fitness to start the next game. Adam (Randell) was excellent. We have the option now more with Muhamed Tijani. We have the flexibility with Bali.

"Even without Nikola (Katic), even without Maksym (Talovierov) and even without Matty - we lost three starting 11 defenders - we showed we can keep our structure and defend pretty well so that makes me confident."

The recent injuries to Katic and Talovierov opened the way for Victor Palsson to return to the starting line-up in the centre of defence against Sheffield United and the Iceland international put in a strong display alongside Kornel Szucs and Julio Pleguezuelo.

Muslic said: "Like the last couple of weeks, every time we need Victor he's there to support. There was no doubt when I realised that Nikola will be out for one, two, three weeks that Victor is exactly the one.

"I think every time we play in a back three it fits more to him central. He can do the job on the left, he can do the job on the right but that's position - central - very similar to Nikola. He did it very good."

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