The experienced Andre Gray has become even more important to Plymouth Argyle now that he is the only fit forward, head coach Wayne Rooney has admitted.

The 33-year-old has a short-term contract which he signed when he joined the Pilgrims as a free agent in early October and that runs until January 3, so while there are three important games coming up before then a decision over his future needs to be reached as well.

Gray made his 10th appearance for Argyle, and sixth as a substitute, when he replaced Ryan Hardie during the second half of the 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough at Home Park on Saturday. The Scottish striker suffered a badly gashed left knee and will definitely miss the away games against Coventry City on Boxing Day and Oxford United on Sunday, December 29.

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Hardie has joined long-term absentee Muhamed Tijani (hamstring) on the casualty list, while Michael Obafemi is a third Argyle forward to have picked up an injury after he was taken off early in the game against Middlesbrough due to a groin issue and was getting a scan this afternoon.

Rooney said about Hardie today: "His stitches are due to be in for 10 days. If it was just above the knee instead of just below the knee I think it heals quicker. It's just where it is, every time he walks it bends. It's a difficult one to heal. We are expecting him to miss certainly up until the Bristol City game (at Home Park on New Year's Day)."

Gray seems certain to start for Argyle against Coventry, whose recently-appointed head coach Frank Lampard played alongside Rooney for England many times during their careers at the highest level of football.

On Gray's contract situation, Rooney said: "At the minute Andre is here until January 3 but of course there is discussions, there is talks etc with him and his agent.

"From our point of view we have to do the right thing for the football club. Andre is important to us, he has shown that. He has scored some really important goals for us and he's the one forward we have got fit. I think that brings a little bit more importance to him.

Expecting Gray to start and play the whole of three successive games, though, is unrealistic, so Rooney is going to have to consider other options up front, such as teenage attackers Freddie Issaka and Tegan Finn.

"Over this period people pick up knocks, they pick up illnesses, which normally happens over Christmas," said the Pilgrims' boss. "So we have got players who might have to play up front who don't normally play there.

"I think there is going to be good opportunities. We have seen Freddie play a few games of late; for Tegan to maybe come in and start games. We are going to need every player."

Rooney's reunion with Lampard at the Coventry Building Society Arena on Boxing Day will see bottom-of-the-table Argyle take on the 17th-placed Sky Blues. They have picked up seven points from five games but crashed to a 4-1 defeat away to Portsmouth on Saturday.

Rooney said: "I think since Frank has gone in they have had some really good results and obviously the last one wasn't what they wanted as a team but we know they have got some really good players. Going to Coventry is always a difficult game."

"I know Frank very well. I played with him for a long time with England and I'm good friends with him. The same as the last game with Michael (Carrick, the Middlesbrough boss). It's the first time coming up against Frank as a coach so looking forward to it."

Lampard, like Rooney, has come under a lot of attention since stepping into management, first with Derby County and then with Chelsea (twice) and Everton. Their former England team-mate Steven Gerrard is another to have come under the same spotlight.

Rooney said: "We are all used to it. We have all had our playing careers and a lot of media praise, scrutiny, pressure. I'm sure for all us ex-England players who had careers at the highest level it's something we are used to. It doesn't make a big difference, will certainly to me, and I'm sure it's the same for the others."

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