Leyton Orient v Shrewsbury - Gareth Ainsworth previews Town's trip to London and selection decisions

It has been a gruelling spell for all footballers over the festive period - and come Saturday at 5pm Salop will have played five games in the last 15 days. 

When Gareth Ainsworth spoke to the press after the draw at Blackpool on  Wednesday he revealed he had been under the weather and that he did not make it past 9.30 on New Year's Eve. 

Everyone from a Shrewsbury persuasion will be looking a bit weary come the weekend - given the amount they have put in over this period. But the fact they are four unbeaten in the league for the first time in almost two years should give them an extra bit of motivation as they head to London. 

Leyton Orient are one of the four sides Shrewsbury have beaten this season after they won 3-0 in the return fixture at The Croud Meadow. 

Before that point, neither side had won a game, and Town's victory left Richie Wellens' team rooted to the bottom of the league table pointless after four matches. 

How things change. Just 19 games later, Orient are moving up the table and seeking to mount a play-off challenge rather than looking over their shoulder. 

They are eighth in League One, and they have won six out of their last seven matches. 

Wellens' team did Town a favour on New Year's Day by beating Bristol Rovers 3-2, which means Shrewsbury closed the gap to the Gas to just five points. 

And as Ainsworth prepares his side to take on Orient, he says they are heading to London with optimism given their recent run. 

"Everyone loves football in this country," he said. "And the Christmas period is synonymous with football games and people going on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. 

"It is great, and we are unbeaten in 2025. After the Blackpool draw, we're going into Orient, which is the fifth match of this crazy period, with optimism. 

"We are also very wary that they are flying at the moment. They've won a lot of their games.

"They were really struggling at one stage of the season, but they're free scoring at the moment and seem to be making a charge for the play-offs, which nobody probably expected.

"For us, it's a work in progress, your job is never done. But not just that, the mental side of the game, the mental side for me, is the biggest part of the game. It really is."

Josh Kayode made his first start in a league game for Shrewsbury at Bloomfield Road, but given his injury record and lack of football, you would expect him to drop out for this one - John Marquis could come in to replace him. 

The Salop head coach has made 12 changes to his starting XI for the last three games - and he says it will be similar in this clash. 

"Again, it'll be about rotating the legs," he continued. "Maybe we'll have a few positional changes, but we'll have a look at Leyton Orient and see what will be best to beat them."

After the trip to the capital, Salop have a free week in which to rest and recuperate before they welcome Huddersfield to Shropshire.