Carlisle United manager: team at Leyton Orient may surprise

The Blues head to east London today (Gaughan Group Stadium, 3pm) desperate for a win that can kickstart a late survival push.

And Simpson has hinted at an "attack-minded" selection that could raise eyebrows.

"I want to see us go to Orient and start the game positively, and maybe go and get that first goal which we’ve been striving to do," he said.

"I’ve got to pick a side that I believe will be attack-minded, that will go and be positive.

"It may surprise some people, the team I am going to select - no doubt it will be the wrong team in some people’s minds, but I am going to try and win this game and I’m going to pick a side that gives us an opportunity and I think the best opportunity to win."

Simpson has admitted that Carlisle are past the stage where even draws are good enough.

United are ten points adrift of safety with 17 games to go.

And manager Simpson admits the turnaround must start now with victories.

“Our situation, regardless of who we're playing, is a case of having to be front foot – and we've got to go and try and get wins,” he said.

“Draws are not even any good to us at the moment.

“We need to be winning games of football, and the gap that we've got between ourselves and safety isn't going to get any smaller if we don't win games.

Carlisle must today arrest a four-game losing run (Image: Ben Holmes)

“So that's the only thing on our mind.

“It just happens to be that it's Leyton Orient next, who are a good side.

“We've just got to start getting wins. And we know that we're not deluded enough to think that anything else is good.

“It has to be wins, starting [today], and we've got to start doing ourselves a favour.”

Carlisle must end a poor recent run against Orient, having lost their last four meetings with Richie Wellens’ side.

The Cumbrians are also trying to arrest a four-game losing spell in League One – a fifth would be the worst such sequence since September-October 2008 under John Ward.

Should United concede, meanwhile, it would equal the club's worst ever run of games – 24 – without a league clean sheet.

For inspiration Carlisle could look back two years to the moment their revival began under Simpson – a 1-0 win at Orient in his first game back in charge in February 2022.

“There are similarities to that first game in my second spell at the club, in that we were scrapping to stay in the league,” he said.

Carlisle celebrate at Orient in 2022 - Simmo's first game back in charge (Image: Richard Parkes)

“We only had 15 games to go then. We’ve got two extra games now – maybe we’re a few more points behind this time but this would be a wonderful place to go…if we can get a result it would give everybody a huge lift in the club and give the fans a huge lift as well.”

Wellens’ hosts are in strong form with four wins and two draws from their last six games, a run that has put them tenth in the table.

“They've been very consistent about the way the play, and they're on a good run of results at the moment as well,” said Simpson of the Os.

“So we know it's going to be tough.

“They’ve got good individuals, and they’ve adjusted their style of play a little bit from last season.

“I don’t think Orient’s ground is ever an easy place to play but we’ve got to find a way to win.”

This afternoon's game is United's first without Owen Moxon, who could instead make his Portsmouth debut against Northampton Town after his deadline-day move.

That could see Josh Vela come in for his first start in midfield.

Carlisle's own deadline-day arrival, Georgie Kelly, could be kept waiting "a couple of weeks" for his Blues debut after Simpson said the ex-Rotherham United striker has arrived with a "niggly issue".

United's other recent departures, meanwhile, could all be involved for their new clubs this weekend, with Max Kilsby in line for a loan debut for Queen of the South against Hamilton Academical.

Joe Garner could figure for Oldham Athletic at Ebbsfleet United while Ryan Edmondson is in the Central Coast Mariners squad to face Adelaide United.