Plymouth Argyle sent out a signal to their Championship relegation rivals that they are up for the fight of staying up this season with their 5-1 Home Park hammering of Millwall, according to head coach Miron Muslic.

There was no let down at all from the Pilgrims' after their incredible 1-0 Emirates FA Cup win against Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday. They have made it seven points from their last three league games to move off the bottom of the table up to 23rd position.

In-form striker Ryan Hardie scored two goals, including one penalty, as Argyle clinched their biggest win since a 6-2 home thrashing of Norwich City in September 2023.

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Muslic has transformed the Pilgrims in recent weeks and declared after the rout of Millwall: "It's a signal for us, it's a signal also for the rest we are alive and we are ready to pick up this fight."

Argyle are now only a point behind 21st-placed Derby County, who occupy the last position outside the relegation zone, although their goal difference is considerably worse after their frequent heavy defeats earlier in the campaign.

The Pilgrims are a very different team now, though, as Millwall became the latest to find out. "I knew it was going to be very difficult for us because everything was so emotional on Sunday," said Muslic.

"It's never easy finding the right balance, putting the lads but also us as a staff again on the ground, on one side to enjoy this great achievement, a historical moment for us, but also on the other side not to forget the daily bread is the competition and we have to collect points and we have to win games. That's why I'm very pleased and actually very proud of the performance."

Argyle were 2-0 up against Millwall inside 10 minutes an an own goal from their former loan signing Joe Bryan and the penalty from Hardie, after captain Adam Randell was caught by a high boot from Millwall's Casper De Norre inside the box.

Muslic said: "That was the plan, to use this energy, to use this confidence from Liverpool from the first whistle. If we can manage to do this we knew we can create some troubling moments for Millwall, knowing that Millwall is defensively solid.

"We knew if we can put this structure back on the pitch, this intensity, we can create chances and we took advantage of it. We are working on this structure now for three weeks and I think we can see improvement almost game by game. We are getting solid and that's very important in our situation."

Hardie has scored five goals for Argyle in the last three games, including a trio of penalties, but Muslic was keen to point out the contribution of Mustapha Bundu and Callum Wright to the attacking play.

Bundu again played as the striker in the Pilgrims' 3-4-2-1 formation, while Hardie was just in behind along with Wright, and it was the Sierra Leone international who put Argyle 3-0 up in the 53rd minute with a well-placed left foot finish.

Muslic said: "This is when you have the momentum on your side. You have a team full of energy, full of confidence, and you have a striker (Hardie) full of energy and full of confidence.

"Confidence is a big, big part in our business, and I think he did it today fantastic, supported by an outstanding Cal and a very strong Mussa. This trio is difficult to defend because they have different profiles and that's why I pick them."

Hardie made it 4-0 with a superb chipped finish before the hour mark and although Bryan did get a late goal back for Millwall there was still time for Argyle defender Nikola Katic to complete the rout when he got the final touch following a scramble inside the six-yard area.

Asked whether he was frustrated Argyle conceded a late goal in such a dominant display, Muslic replied: "We managed to have three consecutive wins in a row now, we managed to win this massive game. It's not about frustration. I'm very satisfied and it's another step forward."

Hardie has made a habit of going on goalscoring streaks over his five years at Argyle and the 27-year-old is on another one now, which could be vital to their chances of Championship survival.

Muslic said: "I think we find a structure for the lads where they can rely and they can find also confidence. Then, in the end, you need strikers who are capable to score goals, you need strikers with confidence and I think Hardie is just in this moment right now very, very dangerous.

"If you see what we are doing with Mussa, with Cal and Hardie up in front it's not easy for those lads., but the reward for them are regains, and when we regain the ball we play the ball forward and guess who can score? Cal, Mussa or Hardie. So it makes sense to them.

"The players believe more and more, and if they believe they go fully, and we saw today a team from minute one until the last whistle going fully."

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