Sky Sports pundit drops Plymouth Argyle v Barnsley score prediction | OneFootball

The Sky Sports pundit has predicted one of the key matchups in League One this weekend

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has given his verdict on this weekend's League One opener between Plymouth Argyle and Barnsley.

Both the Pilgrims and the Tykes have high expectations this season. Plymouth are hopeful of bouncing back immediately to the Championship after their two-year stay in the second tier ended last season, whilst a return to the top six should be the aim for Barnsley following their worst league finish since the 2004/05 campaign.

It's also a battle between the two youngest managers in League One this season, with 34-year-old Conor Hourihane, in his first full season in management after taking the reins from Darrell Clarke towards the back end of last season, taking on 35-year-old Tom Cleverley, aiming to find his feet once more after his tenure at Watford ended poorly.

The third tier this season seems incredibly unpredictable, with a whole host of teams angling to finish among the top six.

Current EFL pundit Lee Hendrie has weighed in with his opinion on the outcome of this weekend's clash.

Lee Hendrie gives his Plymouth Argyle vs Barnsley prediction

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has backed this weekend's battle between Plymouth and Barnsley to end in a stalemate.

"I think both Plymouth and Barnsley are going to have a go this season. These are two of the heavyweights of League One," Hendrie said.

"League One's a lot stronger this season. Last year, we saw Birmingham City come out of the Championship and dominate and dictate, and Wrexham, Wycombe Wanderers, and Stockport County were in the thick of things throughout the season, so I do feel we'll get a lot of difference."

Last season, the likes of Rotherham United, Huddersfield Town, Bolton Wanderers and Barnsley all arguably underperformed, which opened the door to a few underdogs and newly promoted sides to have a crack at promotion and the play-offs.

This time round, Hendrie feels it'll be a lot more tightly contested.

"The first game of the season is a tough one to call - I'll put a 1-1 draw on it," he continued.

"You'd expect Plymouth to have the home advantage, and having that relegation, realising that they're back in a stronger League One [will see them push on].

"But Barnsley themselves will be pushing to be there or thereabouts this season, so yeah, 1-1 draw."

A point would be a promising start for both young managers

Whilst both sides will be eager to kickstart the season with three points, a draw on opening day can still be seen as a good thing for two managers looking to find their feet in League One.

Plymouth have lost a fair number of key players from the side who, under Miron Muslic, picked up the 12th-most points in the Championship last season, and have so far arguably struggled to replace them with top-quality additions.

There's a full month remaining of the transfer window, so you'd expect this current Pilgrims side to be a lot better on paper come the end of August, but for now, picking up a substantial number of points in the first handful of games of the season is the focus.

From a Barnsley perspective, Hourihane experienced a baptism of fire almost in his managerial debut. Taking over an unmotivated Tykes side, the Irishman led them to just two wins in 10 games to end the season, which included losses to Shrewsbury Town, Exeter City and Mansfield Town.

So, to make the long journey to Plymouth on opening day and leave with a point will be more than ideal for the 34-year-old.