DEAN KEATES is unlikely to hold a training session on Christmas Day but a positive result at Sutton United tomorrow could seal the deal.

Wrexham have five huge games in the space of a fortnight over the festive period against teams in and around the fourth bottom Reds who are one point adrift of National League safety.

After facing Sutton, the Reds face basement side Chorley at The Racecourse on Boxing Day and the players could be asked to work-out in their own time the previous day, instead of reporting for training, especially if everything goes well at Gander Green Lane.

“I have not done it in previous years,” said Keates.

“I look at my squad, you get to know the characters and see if they are trustworthy professionals which this group are.

“It is something that I will be looking at and if it is a carrot that needs dangling against Sutton, it is a possibility that they won’t be in on Christmas Day.

“We don’t do loads the day before a game anyway, it is a just a short, sharp session and go over details. We do most of our work in the early part of the week.

“All the analysis side can be covered on Christmas Eve.

“The option is there if I want to give them Christmas Day off but if they do take it off as I have done previously, the GPS unit will go back on and the players will know what they need to do.

“If it is not done then that affects themselves going forward.”

Keates knows it is a big spell for Wrexham, who have won their last two league games, in the bid to climb clear of trouble.

“All the games coming up over the Christmas period are against teams in and around us so it is a massive couple of weeks without looking past the first game,” said Keates.

“It is going to be a hectic period.

“We have had two positive results, it was disappointing to get knocked out of the FA Trophy but we got valuable minutes into players and got a few injured players back.

“The next five games won’t make or break the season but it will leave us in a good position and see what we are looking to address going forward.”