Plymouth Argyle: Adam Randell issues warning to Sheffield United, Michael Cooper ahead of reunion | OneFootball

Plymouth Argyle midfielder Adam Randell is looking forward to facing former team-mate Michael Cooper when his side take on Sheffield United.

Plymouth Argyle midfielder Adam Randell joked that he is determined to score against former team-mate Michael Cooper when his side take on Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday.

Goalkeeper Cooper made 161 appearances for Plymouth after coming through the club's academy, and he was part of the squad that won the League One title in the 2022-23 season, but he departed in the summer to join Sheffield United for an initial fee of £2 million, that could eventually rise to £4 million with add-ons.

Cooper has made an excellent start to life with the Blades, keeping nine clean sheets in his first 18 appearances, and Saturday's game will mark the first time he has faced his former club since his exit.

United currently sit top of the Championship table, and they come into the game against Argyle on a nine-match unbeaten run, while they have not conceded a goal at home since mid-August, underlining the size of the task facing Wayne Rooney's side this weekend.

In contrast, the Pilgrims are without a win in their last five games, and they suffered their third consecutive defeat as they were beaten 2-1 by Swansea City at Home Park on Tuesday night.

The loss saw Plymouth drop down to 23rd in the table, and while they are level on points with the two sides directly above them, they have a vastly inferior goal difference.

Adam Randell makes Sheffield United, Michael Cooper claim

Randell jokingly suggested that he would be looking to get forward more than usual in order to score against his former team-mate Cooper on Saturday, but on a more serious note, he insisted that the Pilgrims will be fully focused on trying to get a result at Bramall Lane.

"Obviously as a team they're in great form, especially at home," Randell told the club's official X account.

"They've obviously got big names and big players and it's going to be a big challenge for us.

"Playing against Coops will be strange, but I'm really looking forward to it and I'm really hoping I score.

"I've said already that if there's one game I score in this season, I want it to be that one, so I'll be trying to get forward a bit if I can.

"Taking away from that, that's not the most important thing at all.

"I'm not focusing on playing against him, I'm focusing on playing against Sheffield United, it's the game as a whole, and we're all going to be focused on making sure that we prepare right and go there and try to win the game."

Plymouth Argyle facing daunting Sheffield United challenge on Saturday

Of course, shock results happen regularly in the Championship, but it is tough to make a case for Plymouth coming away with anything from the game against Sheffield United on Saturday.

The Blades are in outstanding form and are incredibly strong at home, while in contrast, the Pilgrims are on a difficult run and have not picked up an away win all season, while they have scored just three goals on the road.

Facing former team-mate Cooper could give Argyle extra motivation, but United will likely be too strong for Rooney's men this weekend, and unless they tighten up defensively, they could be on the receiving end of another heavy away defeat.