So much has been said about Argyle’s money-spinning FA Cup third round trip to Anfield that it would be easy to take your eye off the ball that really matters: automatic promotion, writes Ross Reid.

If tomorrow’s home League Two game against Crawley Town is half as good as Boxing Day’s 3-3 post-Christmas cracker against Gareth Ainsworth’s Wycombe Wanderers, Argyle fans are in for a New Year’s Eve treat.

By his own post-match admission Ainsworth is cast as something of a ‘pantomime villain’ by Argyle supporters, all too aware of Wanderers’ play-off wins over John Sheridan’s Pilgrims two seasons ago.

You should always speak as you find and I have always found Ainsworth to be polite, passionate and engaging with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Besides, he fancies Argyle’s chances after seeing them at close quarters during Monday’s thriller.

Ainsworth admitted: ‘Once they got in their stride, they showed why they are at the top of the league.

‘They are a big, big club, it’s fantastic that there was a 12,000 crowd here for a League Two game. That’s phenomenal. We’ve never had 12 at Wycombe. It’s fantastic for League Two and it made for a great atmosphere.’

‘I think Plymouth will be very strong again in the second half of the season, finishing automatic or play-off places without a shadow of doubt.’

See you tomorrow – arrive early!