Just like Pep Guardiola: Wayne Rooney compares Plymouth struggles to Man City as Utd legend admits to ‘honest conversations’ with owner

Premier League champions City have picked up just one win from their last 10 games in all competitions – with Guardiola suffering the worst run of his managerial career. Down in Devon, Rooney has overseen a similar run – suffering six defeats – and is facing uncomfortable questions of his future.

The Manchester United legend is, however, determined to turn things around and has said ahead of a testing trip to high-flying Sheffield United: “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.

“We are looking at arguably the best team in the world over the last few years at Man City going through exactly the same. So when you lose some players and confidence is a little bit down it can be tough but we need to find ways to get out of it. Of course, we have got a difficult game Saturday but if we get a positive result what a platform that gives us moving forward into the Christmas period. It's tough but we are there, we are fighting and we are doing everything we can to try to turn it around.”

Rooney is, as an ex-England captain and United’s all-time leading scorer, no stranger to pressure and added on how he is dealing with the demands of fans and owners at Home Park: “It's part of the job, it's as simple as that. There's always noise, whether you are winning, losing, drawing, whatever situation you are in. For me, I have honest conversations with players, I have honest conversations with the board and the owners, and we know exactly where we are at.

“We have got a belief we can really come through this. Yes, we have been unfortunate with injuries, of course we have, but it's our job now to make sure we improve players and try to get them to the level which we need to get us out of this. There is pressure you have to deal with but that's part of the fun of being in a job. If that pressure is not there then what's the point?”

Plymouth sit second-from-bottom in the Championship table, but are only five points adrift of Preston in 14th and know that a few positive results will see them climb the second tier standings and quieten some of the noise that continues to surround their high-profile boss.