Wayne Rooney calls for Plymouth Argyle resilience at table-topping Sheffield United

Wayne Rooney has admitted 'everything has to go right for us' for Plymouth Argyle to get something out of their game against Championship leaders Sheffield United at Bramall Lane tomorrow.

The 23rd-placed Pilgrims are winless in 10 away league games this season, during which time they have conceded 27 goals and scored just three. Bramall Lane, meanwhile, has been a fortress for the Blades as they aim for a return to the Premier League.

Their goalkeeper Michael Cooper has started their last eight home games after joining from Argyle in August and he has not conceded a goal in any of them as Chris Wilder's United have clinched eight consecutive victories.

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The Blades began this season with a two-point deduction after defaulting on payments to other clubs during the 2022/23 Championship campaign, but 13 wins and five draws from 20 games has seen them move to the top of the table, a point above Leeds United.

Rooney said: "They are a very efficient team, experience mixed with some good young players. They don't concede many goals and normally when they get chances they take them so we are expecting a really tough game.

"We have to be resilient and organised. I felt the two goals against Swansea (in a 2-1 defeat Home Park on Tuesday) were maybe because of a lack of communication, as well as getting to the ball, and I have spoken to the players at length about that.

"We are under no illusion, in order for us to get something out of the game everything has to go right for us. We have been working hard to put the players in the best frame of mind, the best shape, to try to do that."

One of the big problems for Argyle this season has been when they have conceded a first goal it has soon been followed by a second, and Rooney knows they cannot afford for that to happen against Sheffield United.

Rooney said: "It's very important. That has let us down in previous games, certainly away from home. We know it's a big atmosphere at Bramall Lane and the fans get right behind them.

"They are obviously in a very good position in the league and on a good run of form. From our point of view, our course the aim is to try not to concede but if that happens, which in any game is a possibility, it's important we show that resilience and mentality to stay strong and keep to what we have worked on for the game."

Cooper was on the bench for Sheffield United in their first home league game of the season, a 2-2 draw with Queens Park Rangers, after completing his August transfer from Argyle a couple of days earlier. However, the two-time former Pilgrims 'player-of-the-year has started the last eight matches at Bramall Lane and kept clean sheets in all of them.

Rooney briefly worked with Cooper after taking charge at Home Park in the summer. "I didn't have that much time with him, I obviously had the pre-season, and he has got his move he wanted," said the Argyle head coach. "Everyone here at the football club who knows him told me what a really good goalkeeper he is, and I think he's proving that this season."

Dam Grimshaw was brought in as Cooper's replacement at Argyle when he arrived from Blackpool and he has played in the last 15 Championship games following an ankle injury to Conor Hazard.

However, Hazard has now returned to fitness and was named among the substitutes against Swansea, which meant no place for Marko Marosi, who was a free agent signing in September after the injury to the Northern Ireland international.

Rooney said: "Marko has come in and we got him in as cover but I think he has been fantastic for the group. His attitude to training has been fantastic.

"It was tough to leave him out on Tuesday because he has been really good for us, for the group, but Conor has come back into the squad. It's a decision I have to make whether Conor plays or Grimmy. Grimmy played the last game and don't think he did much wrong, if I'm being honest, but it's good to have options."

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