Argyle assess their options with Ibrahim suspended for Wigan clash

PATERSON, FINN AND ROBERTS FIGHTING IT OUT TO START AFTER MIDFIELDER COLLECTS FIVE BOOKINGS

- By CHRIS ERRINGTON

TOM Cleverley has outlined the three options open to him for how to replace the suspended Bradley Ibrahim for Plymouth Argyle's League One game against Wigan Athletic at Home Park tomorrow.

Ibrahim, who will be 21 later this month, has been in excellent form recently but has to serve a one-match ban this weekend after receiving his fifth yellow card of the season during the 4-0 away defeat of Burton Albion last weekend.

Cleverley has identified the fit again Jamie Paterson, exciting teenage attacking prospect Tegan Finn and 19-year-old Caleb Roberts as the potential replacements for Ibrahim, and he considers all them 'good options'.

Argyle will also be missing club captain Joe Edwards against Wigan as he completes a three-match suspension, while Xavier Amaechi, Jack MacKenzie, Julio Pleguezuelo, Kornel Szucs and Caleb Watts are all injured and unlikely to return any time soon.

Cleverley said: "We have got a little bit of an unavailability crisis at the minute. It's where we are at. Bradley will be a huge miss. In the last five games I think he has been one of the best players in the league.

"We have got Joe Edwards, Pleggy, Kornel, Jack MacKenzie - there's a back four. Then we have got Bradley, Caleb Watts, Xav Amaechi - there's a midfield.

"All senior players, all would start, all important players for this club. The guys who are out there at the minute are doing a fantastic job because we are dealing with quite a little bit."

Ibrahim was yellow-carded in four of the opening five league games this season but went the next four without being booked before he was cautioned by referee Tom Reeves in only the third minute against Burton for a foul.