Sunday 28 December 2014 14:10, UK
Keith Millen is likely to be in caretaker charge of Crystal Palace for the New Year's Day trip to Aston Villa as well as the London derby against Queens Park Rangers.
Millen has been put in temporary charge for the third time in little more than a year after Neil Warnock was sacked on Saturday, meaning he has the unenviable task of leading out the embattled Eagles against the R's at Loftus Road on Sunday.
"It is not a nice position to be in again, I must admit," Millen said. "It was a surprise. We're just not taking our chances at the moment.
"It has been a shock for us all, but we have got to try and be professional and try and concentrate on a massive game."
Palace co-chairman Steve Parish felt he had no choice but to take the "unfortunate decision" to sack Warnock and informed him of that decision on Saturday morning.
Parish says Palace have not got anyone lined-up to come in and, while they "want it sorted out as soon as possible", confirmed Millen is likely to be in charge for the trip to Villa in addition to the QPR clash.
Millen said. "It is always a sad time and it is very difficult for all of us, the staff, because he kept us here and we were part of his backroom staff.
"We're all disappointed but we have got to move on very quickly with this big game."
Millen will need to ignore the background noise if he is succeed in south London with speculation already mounting over Warnock's permanent successor.
Tim Sherwood is the bookmakers' favourite ahead of the likes of Alan Pardew, Tony Popovic and even former boss Tony Pulis, while Millen himself is high in the betting to be given the reins on a full-time basis.
That is not something he is even contemplating right now, though, saying Palace have "got to let the dust settle a little bit" and fully focus on getting a result against QPR.
"I know this group of players and know what they're good at," Millen told Sky Sports News HQ.
"We've got to try and remind them of that. We've got to go to QPR and be up for the fight because that is what it is going to be.
"I am sure QPR will be ready for us and we've got to make sure our lot are ready.
"That's been our strength over the last few years. They're resilient and we're going to have to be."
