Plymouth Argyle might be facing quick Tom Cleverley U-Turn | OneFootball

Derek Adams will see Plymouth Argyle's fixture against Port Vale is a must-win, as the pressure continues to mount on Tom Cleverley.

Plymouth Argyle's clash with Port Vale on Saturday could be a crucial indicator as to whether Tom Cleverley is the man to turn the club's fortunes around, with new director of football Derek Adams now in position.

The Pilgrims have had a much-needed two-week break since their last match in League One, and are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Port Vale in what already looks to be a relegation six-pointer.

Both sides are in wretched form, with the hosts ending their losing streak with a 0-0 draw against Wycombe Wanderers last Saturday, whilst Argyle are on a run of six straight defeats in all competitions.

The importance of the fixture explains itself, but for Argyle, it could be a key indicator as to whether their decision to back head coach Tom Cleverley was the correct one, or whether they may have to start looking in a different directions.

Falling to defeat at Vale Park after two weeks away against a struggling side could well see a U-turn from the club's hierarchy, and with Derek Adams now in post as director of football, his influence could potentially play a key role in Cleverley's future at Home Park.

Port Vale showing will be a key indicator whether Tom Cleverley can turn Plymouth Argyle's fortunes around

It's been a miserable stretch for the Green Army, who've seen their side fall to six successive defeats in all competitions, and haven't tasted victory since a 4-0 thrashing of Burton Albion almost two months ago.

No matter what they've thrown at the problem in the last six matches, it simply hasn't worked, and you could feel any slight bit of belief or positivity being sapped out of the players and supporters alike.

That's why it seems that the international break came at a perfect time for the Pilgrims, giving them a chance to get away from the frustration of losing week after week, and get back to the training ground to work as hard as possible towards putting things right.

It goes without saying how big the clash with the Valiants is on Saturday, as both sides are in awful form and desperate to secure three points, but it will also be a great indicator for the Plymouth hierarchy whether Cleverley can steer the ship in the right direction.

Being able to take a step away from the negativity, have a reset, and try to reinvigorate the squad by trying something new on the training pitch is exactly what the 36-year-old needed to do over the break, and the performance on Saturday will show whether that has happened or not.

If Argyle head to Vale Park, put in a steely performance and win the game, this proves to the club's hierarchy that Cleverley has the ability to lift a camp which was clearly rock bottom on confidence, and rally them to start turning things around, which is crucial in the club's current predicament.

However, the contrary is the worrying part, as this break is really the last chance for Cleverley to have some time away from playing matches week-in-week-out, and should the performance and result stay as they were before the break, it begs the question whether he can ever turn things around.

It certainly feels like a make-or-break match for the former Watford chief, and with new director of football Adams now watching on, he will likely learn a lot from what unfolds on the pitch on Saturday lunchtime.

Derek Adams influence could have an impact on Plymouth Argyle's Tom Cleverley stance

Before the arrival of the Scot, the Plymouth board publicly backed Cleverley, who was facing a lot of criticism from the Green Army amid the club's awful run of form.

However, now the former Argyle boss is in post, his insight and influence could be crucial as to where the club goes in terms of the direction of their head coach, as Adams has obviously seen it all in his time as manager.

Adams will learn a lot from the performance on Saturday, and he will be able to tell whether there are telltale signs that Cleverley is the right man to lead the club forward, or whether they should pursue another avenue.

Of course, the former Morecambe boss will be feeding back to other members of the club's hierarchy, and it makes you wonder if hearing from someone who is vastly experienced in the dugout could lead to a U-turn from the club on their stance on Cleverley.

Adams will likely be able to tell if the situation is recoverable with the current head coach at the helm, and if things are exactly the same as they were before the break on Saturday, his feedback and influence could lead to a change of heart.