It’s a Christmas like no other – but from a footballing perspective, this week offers a full and uninterrupted build-up to our Boxing Day game.
It is the first midweek without a Championship fixture since the November international break – after back-to-back defeats against a pair of promotion-chasing sides, Royals boss Veljko Paunović hopes his players can channel festive spirit into a good performance when Luton Town visit on Boxing Day.
“It’s going to be helpful this week – especially as it’s a special week for everyone,” said Pauno.
“We have to channel properly the week ahead. For those who celebrate, we have to keep ourselves accountable as possible towards our profession.
“But it’s helpful, if we know how to manage it and it will help us to recover well and lift the spirits and the energy for the games that are coming.
“And as always, we are just looking at our next opponent so that in the next stretch we can build some form and the same kind of momentum that we’ve had already this season.
“That’s what we control. I’m going to encourage everyone in our environment to be consistent – look at ourselves, look at our next opponent and how we can best prepare for them.”
A reminder that this fixture will now be behind closed doors – but you can get a Match Pass on iFollow to watch the game as it happens.
