Confirmed: Wayne Rooney reveals big Plymouth Argyle boost ahead of Watford clash | OneFootball

The defender has missed the last four matches after suffering a thigh injury last month

Plymouth Argyle boss Wayne Rooney has confirmed that defender Lewis Gibson will be fit for selection ahead of Friday night’s clash with Watford at Home Park.

The defender had been out of action with a reported thigh injury for the past few weeks, and missed the last four of the Greens’ Championship outings as a result, but looks set to be invovled in the matchday squad for the weekend after returning to training.

The former Newcastle United man added to Rooney’s long list of players out of action at the time, as he joined captan Joe Edwards and the likes of Muhamed Tijani, Brendan Galloway, Ibrahim Cissoko and Conor Hazard on the long-term absentee list.

But with his return to action, Argyle will have a dependable figure in the middle of the backline ready for action against the Hornets, with the 24-year-old proving himself to be one of the first names on the team sheet when fit and available.

Wayne Rooney confirms Lewis Gibson availability for Watford encounter

Having played each and every minute of the Championship season before his untimely injury, Gibson’s return to the fold will be warmly welcomed by everyone of a green persuasion, with his partnership with summer recruit Kornel Szucs strengthening by the day.

In his absence, Rooney has had to call on the likes of Victor Palsson and Julio Pleguezuelo to play alongside the Hungarian in the backline, with the latter performing admirably as he earned his first league minutes of the season.

Former Arsenal man Pleguezuelo starred as the Greens came back from a 3-0 deficit to claim a 3-3 draw against Preston in his first outing of the season, before playing his part in a 1-0 win over Portsmouth, and 1-1 draw at Derby County.

Gibson’s return will certainly give Rooney a decision to make ahead of the match with the Hornets, with the Argyle boss confirming the news that he will be back in action in a pre-match press conference.

Speaking via the club’s official social media feed, Rooney said: “He has trained the last couple of days, so he should be available. Whether he starts is a different question. Brendan [Galloway] and Conor Hazard are still a few weeks away. TJ [Tijani] and Joe [Edwards] are more long-term.

“He has to come back in and trained well. It gives us another option. He's had a fantastic season - of course, you have decisions to make. I'm delighted he's back fit."

Plymouth Argyle still face injury concerns until the new year

While Gibson’s return to action will be warmly welcomed this weekend, the Greens still have a number of players unavailable until the new year, with captain Edwards and loanee Cissoko two of the latest to be crowded into the medical room at Home Park.

The Argyle skipper pulled up when trying to stop Preston scoring their third in the draw in Devon last month, and was consequently ruled out with a hamstring tendon issue, which has ruled him out until 2025.

Cissoko’s [pictured] miss will also be tough to take for the Greens, with the Dutchman having a major influence since his arrival on loan from Toulouse in the summer, having already netted three times in his ten appearances in the current campaign.

A hip injury has also seen the 21-year-old ruled out until January, while striker Tijani and goalkeeper Hazard have also been struck down with serious issues of their own.

Galloway also picked up an ankle injury while away with Zimbabwe last month and should be back within the next few weeks, with Rooney eager to welcome more players back into the fold after being down to the bare bones of late.