Muhamed Tijani has staked a claim for a place in Plymouth Argyle's starting line-up, not only for the Emirates FA Cup fifth round tie at Manchester City this Saturday but also the forthcoming crucial Championship matches, after finally getting his first goal for the club.

The Pilgrims have suffered a major blow with a back injury to striker Ryan Hardie, who had scored five goals in three games before he had to be substituted early in the 2-0 defeat away to Blackburn Rovers on February 15.

Hardie has already missed the 1-1 draws away to Luton Town and against Cardiff City at Home Park on Saturday, and is expected to be out of action for at least another couple of weeks.

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Mustapha Bundu has been playing as a target man for Argyle in recent matches but that is not his natural position. It is however for Tijani, who has made five appearances off the bench after recovering from a long-term hamstring injury which has badly disrupted his season-long loan from Czech club Slavia Prague.

Now the Nigerian is out to make up for lost time, and his well-taken equaliser against Cardiff combined with the injury to Hardie has opened up the possibility of him getting regular first team football as the Pilgrims fight to stay in the Championship.

Tijani said: "I wasn't happy for Ryan but it's a great opportunity for me to get into the team. I feel stronger and faster now so fitness wise is more like 90 per cent. I think from the next few games I will be able to be fully fit, 100 per cent."

He added: "It was really hard watching the team struggling and I couldn't do anything about it, but now I'm back and I'm ready to help."

Tijani started doing that by coming up with an important goal against relegation rivals Cardiff. He slid in to score in the 67th minute after a diagonal cross from Maksym Talovierov was headed inside to him by Bundu.

"I remember Moose jumping, I was screaming his name, and he saw me," said Tijani. "Coming back from injury after a long time, it was really great to have the goal. It will boost my confidence from down to the highest."

Tijani ended the game with a green bandage around his head after he was caught by the elbow of a Cardiff defender, with the wound above his left eye needing five stitches.

The 24-year-old said: "I was running from behind him. He jumped quickly and he had his arm open. It's fine, the goal made it worth it."

Tijani was brought to Argyle by former head coach Wayne Rooney last summer but now he is having to impress Miron Muslic with his performances, both in training and matches as he battles for a first team place.

"He has given us a lot of confidence," said Tijani about Muslic. "He is really demanding a lot so everyone has to put in his 200 per cent - not only 100!"

After drawing against Cardiff, Argyle moved up one position to 22nd in the Championship. Following the FA Cup clash against Manchester City, they face important league games away to Hull City City and Portsmouth and at home to Sheffield Wednesday and Derby County before the fourth and final international break of the season in mid-March.

Tijani is confident the Pilgrims can win their fight against relegation. He said: "We have been saying if we keep playing the way we are playing we will get out of this. This is not our place to stay."

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