Wayne Rooney pressure increases ahead of Middlesbrough visit putting Carrick reunion in jeopardy

Michael Carrick's pre-Christmas reunion with Wayne Rooney could be in jeopardy, with the Plymouth Argyle boss under pressure amid two alarming results.

Plymouth lost two games in five days last week, shipping ten goals in the process. After a 6-1 defeat at Norwich City, the Green Army then lost 4-0 at Bristol City, with Rooney calling the result 'a big embarrassment'.

The two losses leave Argyle 21st in the Championship, just above the relegation zone. And according to the Telegraph, Plymouth chiefs are concerned by the last two results in particular and it leaves Rooney under pressure ahead of Boro's visit to Home Park on December 21.

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The report claims the Plymouth board have no immediate plans to make a change, the next two games against Oxford United and Swansea City appear crucial to Rooney's future. Should results not go his way, Carrick's reunion with his former Manchester United team-mate will be in jeopardy.

One thing in Rooney's favour is an appreciation that the impact of injuries is having on their current form. Captain Joe Edwards, Northern Ireland goalkeeper Conor Hazard and forwards Ibrahim Cissoko, Morgan Whittaker and Muhamed Tijani all absent.

Speaking earlier this year when Rooney was sacked from his ill-fated short spell at Birmingham City, Carrick said of his former team-mate: “I’m bitterly disappointed for Wayne, knowing him as a friend, and I know he’ll bounce back, I know he’ll be a success. He’s too good, he’s too knowledgeable and he’s had too much experience to not use that in the right way.”

Before thinking about the trip to Plymouth Argyle, Carrick will first have to focus on three huge games against promotion rivals Burnley, Leeds United and Millwall. But Carrick will no doubt hope his good friend remains in the Plymouth hotseat when Boro do make that trip just before Christmas.

Carrick came out on top in the only match they've opposed one another in as managers so far. On an emotional day as news broke pre-match that Manchester United legend Sir Bobby Charlton had died, Boro won 1-0 thanks to Morgan Rogers's late goal in what was Rooney's first game in charge of the Blues.