KARL Robinson is feeling refreshed and ready to attack a big week after an unusually relaxed Christmas.

The postponement of Oxford United’s trip to Portsmouth on Sunday meant players and staff were given Christmas Day and Boxing Day off.

Robinson travelled up to the north west to spend time with family as he took advantage of a blank December 26 for the first time since 2010.

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United’s head coach admitted it is normally difficult to switch off even on Christmas Day, but this year was different.

He said: “It was lovely to go back on Christmas Eve and not really think about anything.

“Even though you know you have the morning with your family, you’ve still got one eye on what you’re doing the next day.

“Not to have that thought for 24 hours was so surreal.

“You do wake up and miss those butterflies, as you know it’s going to be a full house when you go to Fratton Park at this time of year."

Robinson added: “From a mental point of view it has been outstanding.

“I don’t spend an awful lot of time with my family, especially with my mum and dad being up north.

“It was nice being around them and having that sense of family, because it’s the most important thing at this time of year.

“It has certainly recharged my batteries.”

United returned to training yesterday as they build up to tomorrow’s visit of AFC Wimbledon in Sky Bet League One.

They have been boosted by Cameron Brannagan, Herbie Kane, Luke McNally and Sam Winnall leaving isolation, after all four tested positive for Covid before the defeat to Wigan Athletic on December 18.

Nathan Holland was also due to return to training yesterday after a hamstring issue kept him out against the Latics.

The game against Wimbledon will be United’s first for 11 days and is expected to go ahead, despite a rise in Covid cases decimating the English Football League (EFL) calendar over the last fortnight.

The south west London side have not played since December 11 after matches against Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic were postponed due to outbreaks at their opponents.

Wimbledon have since published a letter to the EFL calling for clubs to be ‘held to account’ if they call off games because of Covid.

The League One strugglers are yet to postpone a match this season due to the virus and said they had recorded ‘only 11’ positive cases since the surge in the Omicron variant, despite boasting a ‘fraction of the resources’ of their rivals.

The club also called for a return to five substitutes in the EFL, which was introduced last year to cope with the congested calendar.

Robinson has previously asked for the rule to be brought back.