Wayne Rooney reveals Plymouth have 'stepped up the training' in battle to save his job with pressure mounting on Man Utd legend

It's been a hugely disappointing season for Rooney on his return to management with Plymouth. The Home Park outfit are 23rd in the Championship, having lost each of their past four games - a run in which they've conceded 14 goals.

Rooney is not only fighting to keep Plymouth up but also to save his reputation as a manager, having failed in his previous stint with Birmingham. The Pilgrims face a hectic festive period, with four games in 12 days, but he believes now is the time to up the intensity of training in a bid to improve Plymouth's fortunes and potentially save his job.

"We've actually stepped the training up to train harder," the Manchester United legend told BBC Radio Devon. "I feel it's really important from now until mid-January that we step the training up because that gives your body a resilience to try and prevent injuries.

"We're trying different things to make sure we get the players in the right condition to get through the next three weeks."

"I spoke to the players and I feel it's something we need to step up," Rooney added. "Yesterday we trained a lot harder then we normally would on that day because this time next week we'll be playing a game.

"We have to get our players' bodies into a shape and routine that they're ready for that hit every three or four days going up towards mid-January really, to give them that almost mini pre-season to get them through to the end of the season."

Rooney will go head-to-head with former United team-mate Michael Carrick on Saturday when Middlesbrough make the long journey to Home Park.