Plymouth Argyle set for huge injury boost ahead of key Coventry City clash | OneFootball

Miron Muslic has revealed that one of his key players could be in line for a return on Monday.

Plymouth Argyle are set to receive a huge boost to their Championship survival hopes, with Nikola Katic potentially set to return for their Easter Monday clash with Coventry City.

The Pilgrims remain three points adrift of safety in the second tier, but Katic’s return could provide them with a huge shot in the arm at a crucial time of the season.

The centre-back has been excellent since making the switch to Home Park on a loan deal from Swiss side Zurich in the winter window, and could now play a crucial role in their final push to stay in the division.

Argyle boss Miron Muslic has also revealed that fellow defender Maksym Talovierov could also be available for selection again before the final day of the season.

Miron Muslic hopeful of Nikola Katic return for Plymouth’s clash with Coventry

With three vital games of the season remaining, it’s now or never as far as Plymouth’s survival chances are concerned.

With that in mind, there really is no better time for them to receive a boost on the injury front, and Katic has been a hugely important player for the Pilgrims since joining the club in January and his return could make all the difference for Muslic’s men.

Muslic revealed via the Coventry Live that the 28-year-old has a chance of recovering in time for Monday’s game, saying: “I think we are progressing very well with Nikola Katic. We are very optimistic right now, but there is even a little chance to maybe have him available for Monday. He desperately wants (to play), so we will try everything to push for this.

“It’s never easy, especially when the season is about to end and the loan players know they will return to their home club so they can lose a little bit of spirit, but it’s the exact opposite (with Katic).

“Nikola is an international player, he could use the next three weeks to completely recover, but he pushed us almost. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not in a negative context, for the game against Middlesbrough. I really like that.”

The Argyle boss was full of praise for the character that Katic has shown, adding: “This is a player with a big, big heart and a big, big commitment and he’s showing it right now.”

Muslic has avoided putting an exact timeline on Talovierov’s return, for fear of applying too much pressure to his club’s medical department, though he is optimistic that the Ukrainian could return before the close of the campaign.

Muslic said: “This guy (Talovierov) is desperately pushing, he wants to help, he wants to support.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on him, I don’t want to put any pressure on the medical department. He’s trying his best, those guys are trying their best. Let’s meet somewhere in the middle. Why not?”

Katic has been excellent for Plymouth

Since arriving in Devon back in January, Katic has played a huge role in Plymouth’s side.

The Pilgrims have recovered from a disastrous first half of the season and have now given themselves a fighting chance of surviving relegation back to the third tier.

When Wayne Rooney departed Plymouth at the end of December, the club were rooted to the foot of the Championship table, and while that remains the case, the fact that they have taken their survival fight as far as this is likely more than anybody around the league was expecting.

Katic has made just 12 appearances for the Pilgrims, but when he has been available for selection, he has played almost every minute throughout those games.

Alongside Talovierov, he has played a huge part in helping to add renewed steel to a defence which was statistically the worst in the entire Football League when Muslic arrived at the club.