Owen Oseni’s Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter – Preview, team news, tips & H2H

Plymouth Argyle kick off their 2026/27 campaign with a Devon Derby at Home Park, welcoming League Two new boys Exeter City in the first round of the EFL Cup on Monday, August 10, Afrik-Foot reports.

The Pilgrims are heavy favourites at home, having gone unbeaten through all six of their pre-season fixtures under coach Tom Cleverley, winning five and drawing one, while scoring 13 goals and conceding just one.

Exeter head into the clash from a position of significant weakness, having lost several players to departures over the summer, and with their first competitive match since relegation coming against an opponent in a higher division.

Match Preview: Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City

Plymouth’s 2025/26 season unfolded in two very different halves. A sluggish start left Cleverley’s side in the relegation zone at the turn of the year, but a sharp resurgence carried them to within two points of the League One playoff places by the end of the campaign, finishing eighth.

That upward trajectory is the foundation for optimism heading into a new season, but the summer has brought real challenges alongside the positives.

The departure of Lorent Tolaj, who scored 21 goals in all competitions in 2025/26 before joining Bristol City for £4 million plus performance-based add-ons, leaves the biggest hole to fill.

Will Evans, signed from Mansfield Town for £400,000, is the main response to that challenge.

The 29-year-old Welsh forward scored 25 goals in 98 appearances for the Stags across his two seasons at Field Mill.

Exeter’s summer tells a contrasting story from almost every angle. Financial difficulties at St James’ Park have made the squad rebuild extremely difficult, with manager Matt Taylor openly stating the club cannot add further arrivals without prior sales.

Ilmari Niskanen, who assisted 13 League One goals last season, has gone, along with goalkeeper Joe Whitworth, full-back Jack McMillan, midfielder Ethan Brierley and experienced defender Pierce Sweeney.

Exeter managed just one win from four pre-season friendlies, conceding in three of them, while Plymouth’s pre-season metrics pointed towards a team with structure and confidence.

Head-to-Head: Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City

Plymouth hold a clear edge in the Devon Derby across the past decade and a half. The Pilgrims have won seven of their previous 13 meetings with Exeter.

Across the last 21 meetings between these sides since 2010, not a single match has ended goalless. The two League One meetings from 2025/26 show the scale of the recent swing in fortunes.

Exeter won 2-0 at St James’ Park in October 2025, Plymouth’s only blank across those 11 home clashes in the fixture, before the sides drew 2-2 at Home Park in April 2026.

The overall picture shows a rivalry in which both sides consistently score; Plymouth tend to win more than they lose.

Curtain-raisers don't get any bigger than this 💚 pic.twitter.com/FD2NfS1USX

— Plymouth Argyle FC (@Argyle) August 7, 2026

Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City Team News

Plymouth Argyle

Michael Baidoo is facing approximately 12 weeks on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury during Plymouth’s final pre-season friendly against Bristol City.

Mathias Ross has returned to fitness and is available for selection, having experienced an acute Achilles flare-up during early August training, which initially threatened his availability for the opening game.

Plymouth Argyle Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Baker; Sarpong-Wiredu, Mitchell, Ross; White, Ibrahim, Boateng, Sorinola; Curtis; Oseni, Evans

2️⃣ days to go… 👊#ECFC #OurWay pic.twitter.com/0Rbb44UmJJ

— Exeter City FC (@OfficialECFC) August 8, 2026

Exeter City

Ed Turns, who was expected to form part of the back three, remains a long-term absentee and will not feature on Monday.

The Grecians’ squad is currently so thin that Taylor has been forced to consider left-sided defender Ali Koiki, who has not played professional football since leaving Northampton Town in May 2025, but is on trial at the club in the lead-up to this fixture.

Should Koiki sign before kick-off, he could go straight into contention, but the wider picture of Exeter’s squad depth heading into the new season remains a serious concern.

Exeter City Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Bycroft; James, Fitzwater, Woodhouse; Edwards, Perry, Cummins, Oluwabori; Cole; Wareham, Cox

Star player watch: Owen Oseni vs Jayden Wareham

The Managers: Tom Cleverley vs Matt Taylor

Tom Cleverley joined Plymouth in June 2025 as the club’s fifth permanent manager in two seasons, arriving after Miron Muslić departed for Schalke 04.

As a player, the former England international midfielder won the Premier League with Manchester United in 2013, earning 13 international caps before later becoming a key figure at Watford both as a player and as a manager.

His first year at Plymouth demonstrated a clear ability to reorganise and motivate a squad, dragging the Pilgrims from the relegation zone to within striking distance of the playoffs in the space of six months.

Matt Taylor’s connection to Exeter City is so deep that even a difficult second stint in charge may not fully dent it.

The 44-year-old made over 140 appearances for the club as a player before later managing them from 2018 to 2022, guiding the Grecians to a second-place League Two finish and promotion in his final campaign.

He left for Rotherham United in October 2022, later had a stint at Bristol Rovers that ended in dismissal in 2024, and then returned to Exeter in March 2026 in an interim capacity after Gary Caldwell moved to Wigan Athletic.

His second interim spell produced just one win from 13 games as relegation was confirmed, but the board still opted to make him permanent in May 2026, with the club’s focus now squarely on financial sustainability and youth development.

Tactical Preview: Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City

Cleverley is expected to set up in the 3-4-1-2 system that served Plymouth well in the second half of 2025/26.

Mathias Ross steps in alongside Alexander Mitchell and Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu as the three central defenders, offering physicality and distribution from deep.

Harvey White and Matthew Sorinola should provide the width and forward momentum from wing-back, with the midfield pairing of Bradley Ibrahim and Malachi Boateng providing the engine room.

Ronan Curtis, one of the summer additions, is expected to operate in the more advanced role behind Oseni and Evans, using his delivery and set-piece quality to create chances.

Exeter’s pressing problem tactically is the wing-back position in the predicted 3-4-1-2.

Andrew Oluwabori on the left and Gwion Edwards on the right are both more naturally suited to playing as wide attackers than as the shuttling, dual-threat wing-backs the formation demands.

That means Taylor’s side could be stretched if Plymouth’s wing-backs get forward early, forcing both Oluwabori and Edwards into defensive duty that may take them out of the game as attacking threats.

Exeter’s set-piece vulnerability is the most glaring opening for Plymouth to exploit. The Grecians conceded 22 goals from set pieces in League One last season, the third-worst total in the division, with Blackpool and Leyton Orient conceding 23 and 24 respectively.

Exeter’s best hope of disrupting Plymouth’s rhythm will come through Wareham and Cole’s combination play in the final third.

If Taylor can get the ball forward quickly to Wareham, Exeter will give themselves a chance of frustrating the hosts.

Plymouth’s EFL Cup Prediction and Tips vs Exeter City

Plymouth Argyle vs Exeter City final score prediction