Riise said the rest after Christmas meant he came back feeling refreshed and ready for the challenges ahead.
Riise said, "Following our win at Watford we were allowed three days off, which was brilliant for everybody. We could go home and see our families and things like that. After such a busy schedule at Christmas this was ideal to help us refocus and come back feeling fresher."
He added, "It was brilliant to see them all. I feel like I've got a new lease of life and came back ready to work harder through to the end of the season. We would love to be preparing for more cup games but we can't think about that now."
