Carlisle United boss's warning ahead of Oxford United test

The Blues host high-flying Oxford United on Saturday hoping to reduce the six-point gap to the safety line.

Simpson says Carlisle risk running out of games unless they put together some better form now.

Their next challenge comes against a fifth-placed Oxford team who have been among the pacesetters all season.

While the U’s have experienced managerial change this season, Liam Manning having left for Bristol City and Des Buckingham taking charge in the autumn, they have kept the core of their squad together.

“There is a real stable group there,” said Simpson of Saturday’s visitors.

“They worked to try and get the group together last season, and there was not a lot of change went on from the start of this year.

“So they are an established, settled League One side, and they are a club that are desperately trying and having a right go to get out of this league.

Mark Harris goal for Oxford v Carlisle (Image: Richard Parkes)

“I know when I spoke to Liam Manning, when we played at their place early in the season [a 1-0 defeat for Carlisle in August], that they’re having a real go this season to get out [of the division].

“So that's the challenge that we've got to stand up to. We've got to be able to face that.

“Their league position shows that they've done really well this season. Our league position shows we haven't done well enough, but this is the next game that we can start to change it and we need to change it very, very quickly.

“Because otherwise we are going to run out of games and that's not something anybody wants.”

While Saturday’s game is set to see a debut for new Blues keeper Harry Lewis, Oxford could have two new faces of their own in their ranks.

This week they have brought in attacker Tyler Burey and goalkeeper Jamie Cumming on loan.

The new arrivals see head coach Buckingham, the former Mumbai City boss, bolster a squad that has been hit by injuries recently.

Simpson and the Oxford chief are no strangers having met whilst in previous positions.

“I have [come across him] when he was the head coach for the New Zealand Under-20s,” said Simpson.

Des Buckingham replaced Liam Manning at the Oxford helm in November (Image: PA)

“He contacted me when I was at the FA and asked me if I would meet him one day at St George's Park just to go over how we prepared for the [Under-20s] World Cup in South Korea [in 2017] and asking me for any sort of tips on what we did that I thought were good and what I would say not to do.

“So I spent a day with him going through it all and talking over, and he was talking about their prep for it.

“He seemed a really interesting bloke, really keen, very enthusiastic, and when you look at his career so far, he's done really well and got himself involved with the City Group, and involved with their teams, and then he's got the job over here.

“So it'll be interesting to see him again. But our focus is on getting a performance, and if that’s the case I’ll have a smile on my face when I speak to him afterwards.”