Rough ride on the road for Rooney

Plymouth Argyle slumped to another painful away defeat on Boxing Day, as Wayne Rooney’s Pilgrims were beaten 4-0 by Frank Lampard’s Coventry City.

Finding the right formula for away games has been a huge challenge for Argyle this season and something they will desperately want to address ahead of Sunday’s trip to fellow strugglers Oxford United.

The Greens are yet to win away from Home Park this season but Oxford, sitting just three points above Argyle in a congested bottom area of the Championship, would be an ideal place to start.

The one bright spot at Coventry was a full debut for 16 year-old Tegan Finn, a prodigious talent from the Home Park Academy, but his special day was blighted within five minutes, as Tatsuhiro Sakamoto converted a close-range opener for the hosts.

A fizzing low drive from Josh Eccles doubled the Coventry lead on 20 minutes and the game was up for Argyle when Ephron Mason-Clark volleyed a third before the interval. Sadly for the Pilgrims, the Sky Blues still had time for another, Eccles completing his brace, and a rough day was rounded off by a late red card for Callum Wright.

After the game, Rooney told BBC Sport: "The biggest frustration for me all season really is we look like two different teams at home and away.

"So psychologically is there an issue? It's something we're looking at. I'm sure the fans have questions, I'm sure a lot of people from the outside will, and I'll do my best to answer them as best I can."