Squad key to festive success says Kewell

OLDHAM head coach Harry Kewell believes having a strong squad will be essential if his side are to get results over the Christmas period.

Latics return to Boundary Park for the second time this week to face Bradford City after their 2-1 defeat to Sunderland on Tuesday saw them exit the EFL Trophy.

And with a busy schedule to come with five games between now and the end of the year, the Australian stressed the importance of all of his squad playing their part.

“Ideally, you would have liked to have rests in certain periods of the month but this is why you now don’t just need a starting eleven, you need a squad,” said Kewell.

“You need to be able to rotate and players need to come in and fill positions – my substitutes have come on and bed straight into the game which is ideal. We’re preparing properly and we will give it our all.”

Today’s match sees Oldham come up against Bradford for the third time this season after their two cup victories, most recently a 2-1 away win in the FA Cup on November 28.

Stuart McCall’s men have struggled for form since then, losing both of their league games, but Kewell has warned his team not to get complacent.

He added: “We’ve played Bradford twice with two good results but I think we’re going to have to be at our very best to get a result.

“We’re going to have to match them again and be strong in certain areas, disciplined in others and when we create a chance we have to hit the target.”