'All tough games' - Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson previews Burton Albion match

Carlisle United manager Paul Simpson has insisted that they are "all tough games" in League One as his side get set to take on Burton Albion.

The Blues currently sit bottom of League One with just four wins from 31 matches.

Simpson's side are 11 points from safety with 15 matches of the season remaining but have lost their last six matches.

Speaking to Carlisle United's website ahead of the match, Simpson said: "They’re a good side that cause problems.

"They've got some big, experienced players there. I’ll be honest, I haven’t thought about them until now. Whatever they decide to do, we’ll just have to roll our sleeves up and go and try and get a performance to give us some belief to bring into the home game next weekend.

“They’re all tough games, we’ve found all of our games so far this season tough, so I don’t expect anything different. I want us to make sure we keep believing, keep driving each other on and see what comes.

"It's not an easy place to go so it's another tough game. But the truth of it is, we've had 31 tough games in League One, we've found it really tough this year.

The Blues next take on 17th-placed Burton Albion away before hosting 16th-placed Cambridge United on Saturday.

Simpson said: “These next two games are a good opportunity. We've got to go about them and try and get something out of it.

"We know we're in a horrible situation. We know it's going to be tough. But the big thing we have to do is keep going. We've got to just keep driving each other on.

“I will keep believing until it's mathematically impossible. The last time I was here, when we got relegated, we took it to the second last game of the season because we had a right go.

"The first period when I came back here in 2022, and we had those last 15 games, we had to keep going right up until the last couple of weeks.

"We will keep going even if it's for pride, even if it's for these fantastic supporters who are turning up week in week out. We've got to keep going and we've got to give them something to smile about.”

Simpson also provided an injury update to supporters.

He said: "We’ll count the heads and see who is available, Fin came off with some tightness in his calf which is understandable.

"Jack Diamond got another whack, I’m not sure if it was the same ankle, but we were looking at him playing 65-70 minutes anyway.

“I think he was tired as well, if I'm going to be honest with you, because it's a big thing after nine months without playing football to come into games against especially with the intensity of the games at League One level, it's a big ask.

"We've just got to keep working with him, and hope that he's okay for Tuesday night, and that we can keep building him up.

“Josh Emmanuel has been ill. So we’ve just got everything going against us at the moment in terms of that because it’s meant he’s missed some work.

"JJ had a bereavement in the family so he's had some time away from the club. As much as I want these guys fit, we have to do what's right for them.

"And I'm still a big believer that family is really important. We have to do it right, as much as I would rather he was in with us, and he was working to get fit.

“Georgie Kelly's a slow burner and that's not improving as quickly as we wanted it. So there's a huge frustration. But we have to just keep going, we've got to keep doing what I think are the right things."

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