CHARLTON are battling to contain an outbreak of the flu virus as they face up to Christmas and New Year fixture schedule that demands the team play six games in 20 days.

Manager Alan Curbishley was struggling with symptoms after Monday’s 2-1 win over Fulham while a number of players are under the weather ahead of the Boxing Day match at Southampton.

Curbishley said: “There are one or two, like myself, going down with flu and some looked lethargic against Fulham. We’re just hoping that it doesn’t take a hold because we don’t want to be depleted going into so many games in such a short space of time.

“I can’t understand why we have to play all these games over the Christmas and New Year period when there are so few games over Easter. It doesn’t happen on the continent and should not happen here.”

Meanwhile, Curbishley has ruled out a move in the January transfer window for Southampton striker James Beattie.

“We don’t have James Beattie money at the club,” he conceded.