Plymouth Argyle are clear at the top of League One. In the third tier’s home table, they are an even further distance ahead of the rest. A defeat to Port Vale is the only blemish on a home record that has seen Argyle collect 33 points from a possible 36. With Aston Villa loanee Finn Azaz unavailable, fellow loanee Morgan Whittaker has been handed further expectation as a goal scoring attacking midfielder, and is stepping up to the plate. The 21-year-old sits behind a frontline that can contain Ryan Hardie, Niall Ennis, or the rejuvenated Sam Cosgrove. The composure and discipline provided by midfielders Adam Randell, Jordan Houghton and Matt Butcher allows the forward players to flourish. Plymouth also greatly benefit from having the division’s standout goalkeeper in Michael Cooper, who looks destined for a career at the top of the English pyramid aged still just 23.

Argyle play host to relegation-threatened Milton Keynes Dons. New head coach Mark Jackson has so far overseen an encouraging 1-0 victory over Forest Green Rovers on Boxing Day, and a 2-0 defeat at play-off chasing Peterborough United on Thursday. The 45-year-old has deployed his side in a variation of a 3-4-2-1 that has been commonplace with many of the division’s top teams this season, spearheaded by Will Grigg and with Nathan Holland in one of the attacking midfield roles. Dawson Devoy’s inclusion in midfield adds much needed dynamism that neither Josh McEachran or Bradley Johnson can provide to the same level. Daniel Harvie and Tennai Watson could prove to be a decent wing-back, the former in particular caught the eye under previous head coach Liam Manning both this season and last season.

MK Don’s season will not be defined by their games against the League One leaders, and this trip down to Home Park presents something of a free hit for them to kick off 2023 with. Argyle have been almost unstoppable down in Devon this campaign, even without full squad availability at times. Against a team currently in the third tier’s relegation zone, the Green Army will be expecting their lead at the top to be maintained, and quite possibly extended if other results go their way.

Peterborough United had been performing a little better than their run of one point from a possible 15, ahead of their 2-0 victory over Milton Keynes Dons last time out, but so much that they should be an odds on short to beat Gareth Ainsworth’s rapidly improving Wycombe Wanderers.

The 2021/22 League One play-off finalists have recovered from a slow start to the season to throw themselves into the play-off chasing pack, and had won three of four, conceding just once, before their 1-0 defeat at league leaders Plymouth Argyle last time out.

Grant McCann has had to turn to third choice goalkeeper in recent weeks, while Jack Marriott has missed the last two matches due to uncertainties around the January transfer window.

Chairboy’s key player Anis Mehmeti was rested in the loss at Home Park, suggesting that he should be fresher to pull the strings in the attacking third and London Road, in front of a bubbling home crowd who may fear they will emerge the window in a weaker position on the pitch.

The market is surprisingly harsh on Wycombe heading into this one, and it feels like they have a great chance to avoid defeat, sitting just one position behind Posh in the table.

Charlton Athletic are winless in eight games in League One, and put in a very concerning first half display in a 3-1 defeat to Oxford United last time out.

The Addicks have won on 11 of their last 12 trips to Fratton Park though, including the last eight in a row dating back to 2005. There could be goals on the cards, with Charlton seeing a both teams to score bet land in 15 of 23 third tier outings so far this term, 65%.

Joe Wollacott, Mandela Egbo, Eoghan O’Connell, Conor McGrandles and Chuks Aneke are very unlikely to feature, while Joe Rafferty and Jayden Reid are long term absentees for the hosts.

Charlton won the reverse fixture 3-0 and will likely welcome Miles Leaburn back into starting XI, with the 19-year-old rested in midweek alongside Ryan Inniss, Steven Sessegnon and Ryan Fraser.

Pompey are also winless in eight, and having only tasted victory once in their last 13 league games, suggesting there may be some value with the visitors, but a goals angle is still preferred, in what should be a cracking New Year’s Day atmosphere.

Shrewsbury Town have been a difficult side to read in the first half of the season, overperforming under a touch under Steve Cotterill and producing some decent attacking performances, considering the long term absence of key man Daniel Udoh.

George Nurse and Julien Dacosta will also be unavailable for the Shrews as they prepare to host Fleetwood Town. The hosts are slightly short as favourites at just above evens, after suffering back-to-back defeats to Cambridge United, 19th, and Cheltenham Town, 15th, while Fleetwood Town took nothing from their previous two also.

But, the Cod Army put in respectable displays to lose 2-1 against high-flying Sheffield Wednesday, at home, and Barnsley on their travels. Fleetwood have been tough to beat this season under Scott Brown, losing just seven and maintaining a goal difference of zero, as the division’s draw specialists so far.

It is hard to get on board with the Shrews at close to evens, when they have only won two of their last ten anyway, and the unforgiving turnaround does not suit their slimmer squad.

Fleetwood have the greater attacking firepower, and will be targeting three points to pull themselves away from the relegation picture.