Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher has highlighted the threat posed by Aaron Collins as he’s fully aware of Bristol Rovers’ desire, both personal and professional, to upset the Pilgrims' march to League One promotion.
Plymouth can take a significant step towards the Championship with victory at Home Park tonight but will up against a familiar foe in Rovers, with the sides having met three times already this season - with two draws and a win for Schumacher's side at the Mem in the EFL Trophy.
Although the Gas are in 15th, without threat of relegation and their play-off aspirations having petered out long ago, there is plenty at stake for Joey Barton given the disdain he and his staff hold for their opponents in green, dating back to academy days in Liverpool and only enhanced by the encounters between the sides this term.
Barton discussed some of the “bad blood” that exists between the benches in the wake of the Gas' disappointing 2-0 defeat to Port Vale on Saturday, and while Schumacher would only refer to the additional backstory as “other stuff on the outside”, is well aware of what his team can expect in Devon.
Collins was named League One Player of the Season on Sunday after 16 goals and 11 assists so far with the Welshman targeting the 20-goal mark before the end of the 2022/23 season. The 25-year-old also scored the equaliser in the thrilling 2-2 encounter at the Mem in October.
“It's no secret that they are going to be up for it, they are going to want to come here and try and stop us in our promotion push. That's fine, we understand that,” Schumacher, who was also an award-winner on Sunday, taking the trophy as League One manager of the Season, told Plymouth Live.
"Just looking at the two teams, without any of the other stuff on the outside of it, they are a really good team. Aaron Collins got voted League One Player of the Season and deservedly so.
"His numbers this year and his stats are outstanding. They have got some really good players and we know we will be in for a hard night. They have played a few different systems of late and have had some really good results as well.
"They obviously had a disappointing result for them on Saturday at Port Vale. We know all about their players, whatever way that Joey sets them up and comes here then we will have to try and figure out a way how to stop it."
Excitement is understandably building over the prospect of promotion with Plymouth able to seal their place in the Championship if they can secure back-to-back wins over Rovers and then Burton Albion this weekend.
Their home record has been the bedrock for success, having won 18 of 21 matches with one draw and two defeats, and although the situation brings an element of anticipation, it also creates nerves, something Rovers will be hoping to seize upon if they can upset the applecart. The league leaders surprisingly lost to another safe mid-table team two weeks ago with Lincoln City claiming a 2-0 victory to inflict a first home defeat since December.
“Obviously, it's not going to be easy,” Schumacher added, with striker Niall Ennis a doubt for the contest. “We won't look past this game (against Rovers),” he added. "We just need to try and get three points if we can, or get a good result if we can, and that puts us another whatever points closer to the target we know that we need.
"We have been so strong at home and we need to play as well as we have done the majority of the season here and hopefully that will be enough.
"I'm sure there will be a few nerves for everybody involved - fans, staff, players - in the next three games but we will just keep encouraging the players to do what they have been doing all season, don't come away from it, because the standards they have set has got them to where they are."
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