Michael Carrick says Middlesbrough are "chomping at the bit" ahead of the resumption of Championship action this weekend.
Boro welcome Luton Town to the Riverside as they look to continue where they left off before the break, when Carrick's side picked up 10 points from a possible 12 to climb away from trouble at the bottom of the Championship.
Rob Edwards will take charge of the Hatters for the first time and Carrick admits there's an "element of uncertainty" as he prepares to face a new-look Luton.
But the head coach is more concerned about his own side and believes Boro will have benefited from the break.
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He said: “The break has been good. The boys had a week off to refresh, more mentally than physically to be honest. We’ve then had three weeks of good training, working hard and playing some games.
"It’s been a good mix of freshening things up and also preparing the lads for the run in from now until the end of the season. It feels like a big run-in from now, but nevertheless, it’s one we’re really looking forward to and chomping at the bit for."
Luton appointed Edwards as their new boss at the start of the break, the former Forest Green boss replacing Nathan Jones, who left for Southampton. Boro have done their homework on Luton and Edwards ahead of Saturday's game.
Carrick said: “That’s the worry when a new manager goes in somewhere and not knowing what to expect. Rob’s gone in there to lead a team that has been very tough to play against, from what we’ve seen, what we’ve looked at, and speaking to the boys playing against them in the past.
"They are a good team, a tough team and they make you work for it. So we have to be ready for that. Of course there is that element of uncertainty and what might they look like under a new manager after plenty of time to work and prepare on the training ground. So we have to be ready for whatever they throw at us.
"But a lot of our focus has to be on us and what we’ve been doing well, what we can improve on, and then looking to take that into the game.”
Boro will again be without Matt Clarke and Marc Bola, while Darnell Fisher is still absent as he works his way back from the serious knee issue he suffered last summer.
But Duncan Watmore is available to feature for the first time in a competitive game under Carrick. The forward missed November's games after suffering a head injury against Huddersfield Town, but returned in the friendly win against Hibs.
Carrick said: “We won’t have anyone different back for this weekend. Duncan [Watmore] is further down the line because he’s managed to play some minutes in the games we’ve had. It’s great to have him back. For the rest of the lads, hopefully they’ll be back as soon as possible.”
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