Nuno’s Christmas gift to his Wolves pack

Wolves are training on Tuesday at Compton, but they will be able to spend Wednesday with their families.

The players will then be put through their paces in training on Boxing Day, ready to host reigning Premier League champions City on Friday (7.45pm).

Nuno feels such measures keep squad morale high and have a greater chance of leading to better results.

“The programme is ready. We will train (today), and the 25th is off,” he said.

“It’s Christmas Day, so everybody will have the chance to be with their families.

“Then, we return on the 26th and we prepare for the 27th. We then recover on the 28th – let’s see how – and we play again on the 29th, so the programme is ready.

“If the situation was that we were playing on the 26th, the 25th would be impossible to have off.

“But, in this way, it’s good. It’s very important to be with our families.

“The players will enjoy it, for sure.”

Days off have been a rarity for Wolves this season, with the Europa League making the schedule very demanding.

But Nuno’s charges are in high spirits, with a recent trip to Marbella – for team bonding as well as training – a productive and enjoyable one for the squad.

On the importance of players spending time with their families and bonding with team-mates, he added: “If you have good relationships and friendships, when you work together, you’re stronger.

“You have a real friend beside you that wants the same as you do.

“We always try to value these moments. We’ve had trips, and we have time for the players to enjoy. It’s important.”