Monday 26 December 2016 18:00, UK
Manager Owen Coyle is confident Blackburn can rediscover their form after putting his side through their paces on Christmas Day ahead of three important games.
Blackburn trained on Christmas morning ahead of their visit to Barnsley on Boxing Day, with Rovers currently sitting 22nd in the Sky Bet Championship, inside the relegation places.
Blackburn have lost five-goal thrillers to Reading, Brighton and Preston in their last three matches but Coyle remains upbeat, insisting there is plenty to be positive about and build on.
"I think it's very evident that we have to keep things tight at the back but we have shown that we can score goals and we've been doing that aplenty so the focus is on keeping it tight and being clinical up top," he told Sky Sports News HQ after taking training on Christmas Day.
"They're all tough games but in the last three weeks or so, we have played the top four in the league and we've shown with our performances we can stand toe-to-toe with those teams.
"We're coming off the back of three games where we have lost 3-2, where truth be told we probably should have taken five or six points. The margins are very fine in the Championship as we know but if we do the simple things well, we know we can get that sort of points return."
It was an early morning start for Blackburn's players, who returned home for the remainder of the day to spend some time with their families ahead of Monday's clash at Oakwell.
"We were in early and we understand that's a sacrifice at Christmas but we have a big game coming up so of course, the focus and the preparation has to be there and that's what this is all about," Coyle added
"They [the players] are ultra-professional. They are a great group of lads - very honest, conscientious and hard-working and they know to do the right things.
"But this is the nature of the game come this time of year. Sometimes there are sacrifices that are involved but three points is what we all crave at Christmas. As always, that is all you ask for at Christmas and if we keep performing well, we know that we are capable."
