'I'M UP FOR THE FIGHT!'

ROONEY DETERMINED TO GET PILGRIMS OUT OF TROUBLE

- CHRIS ERRINGTON

WAYNE Rooney has spoken of his desire to get Plymouth Argyle out of a bad run of Championship results which has seen them drop to one position off the bottom of the table.

Rooney admitted the Pilgrims, who have won only one of their last 10 games, are going through a tough period but he has the belief they can turn that around. Inevitably, the pressure is increasing all the time on the 39-year-old, with the national media taking a close interest given the high profile of the England legend, but he is up for the fight.

It will certainly not get any easier for Argyle tomorrow when they are away to leaders Sheffield United, whose former Pilgrims' goalkeeper Michael Cooper has not conceded a goal in eight consecutive victories for the Blades at Bramall Lane.

Rooney said: "It's not easy to enjoy it when you are losing, that's simple," and when asked what kept him going through the difficult times, he added: "The desire to get out it.

"Whatever you are doing, whatever sport you are in, you go through patches and we are going through one which is tough, no denying that, but you want to show some fight and desire to get out of it, and I think we can.

"Of course, I have said this before, injuries don't help, to any team in this league. When you lose players that doesn't help but that's not an excuse, I still expect us to be picking up results, and expect us to get out of it.