Paul Simpson is set to make a personal check on Carlisle United’s next opponents Salford City tonight.

The Ammies are in FA Cup action when they face Peterborough United at home in a first round replay.

And Simpson will take advantage of the fixture by heading to the Peninsula Stadium to watch Neil Wood’s side.

The game, which is being televised live on ITV4, sees United’s next opponents in action three days before Carlisle’s League Two visit.

United may be hoping the hosts are given a tough and tiring test by their third-tier visitors ahead of the Cumbrians’ trip.

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United and Salford are separated by one point and one place in the League Two table, Carlisle in eighth and Salford ninth.

It promises to be another key contest in the battle for places at the right end of the table in the first half of the campaign.

Salford, owned by the ‘Class of 92’ Manchester United legends, have gone four games without a win or a goal in all competitions ahead of their cup replay.

Like Carlisle, they were held at home to a goalless draw on Saturday, AFC Wimbledon leaving the Peninsula Stadium with a point.

Salford, who were among the pre-season promotion favourites, have not yet pushed their way among the division’s frontrunners.

Ahead of their home double-header – and a visit of Carlisle which will see more than 1,000 travelling fans head to Salford – former Manchester United coach Wood insisted they were showing signs of returning to form.

“I feel the last three games we’ve started to look like how we should look and there’s been large parts of the games that have been really, really good,” he told Salford’s website after the Wimbledon draw.

“I do think the last three games have been a step in the right direction. Especially our home form, it’s a point in the right direction, but going in the right direction performance-wise as well.

“We’ve had seven or eight players out of the squad since the second or third week of the season, and I don’t think we’ve had a full strength squad going into any game so far, so we’re starting to get some back now.”

Salford's squad will include former United loanees Elliot Watt and Ash Eastham, and defender Richard Nartey, who was on trial with the Blues in the summer.