Rooney will be 'creative' after Hardie & Obafemi injuries

Ryan Hardie is the longest-serving forward in Plymouth Argyle's sqaud

Wayne Rooney says Plymouth Argyle will "have to be creative" with their attack over the Christmas period after injuries to Ryan Hardie and Michael Obafemi.

Hardie gashed his knee while Obafemi injured his groin in the 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough.

Argyle are already without injured forwards Muhamed Tijani, Ibrahim Cissoko and Morgan Whittaker until well into January.

Hardie will miss the rest of the festive period, while the club needs to do more tests to asses the extent of Obafemi's injury after he limped off inside the first 10 minutes at Home Park on Saturday.

"With the games coming up we'll have to be inventive," Argyle head coach Rooney said.

"Someone at some stage will have to play out of position, so that's something I'll look at.

"It's not ideal, of course, but we'll have to be creative and try and get the best out of Moose (Mustapha Bundu), Freddie (Issaka) and Tegan (Finn).

"One of them will have to play out of position over this next couple of weeks."

Hardie was hurt in the second half as he slid in to tackle Ben Doak after the Pilgrims lost the ball in midfield.

The Scottish striker had to be stretchered off and is likely to miss the Championship games with Coventry City, Oxford United, Bristol City and Stoke City over the busy festive period.

"Initially when they looked at it they thought he'd gone through his tendon," Rooney added.

"But it hasn't, it's just quite a deep gash which he's just had stitched up.

"It's in an awful place where it's right on the bottom of his knee, so bending his leg won't help it heal.

"I'm sure he'll be out for the Christmas period, so that's disappointing because I thought he worked really hard today.

"In the last two games he's done well for us and we'll miss him over this period."