Derby County boss Paul Warne insists it will be “anything but easy” against Carlisle United as the Rams bid for promotion.
A win or a draw against Paul Simpson’s relegated Blues will be enough to seal a place in the Championship for Derby tomorrow.
Even a defeat on the last day of the League One season could prove enough if Bolton Wanderers fail to bridge a three-point gap and a four-goal margin in the goal difference column.
Derby are strong favourites to get the job done in the televised clash against a bottom-placed United side.
Manager Warne, though, says he respects Carlisle and will not be taking things for granted.
“We have to be respectful of them,” said Warne, speaking to Rams TV.
“They’re a team that caused us problems when we were up there [a 2-0 win for Derby at Brunton Park last September].
“It wasn’t an easy game – anything but. And it won’t be an easy game this weekend, and we’ll have to be at our best to win.
“Every professional team in every league beats someone. There’s always going to be games like that. Every game is difficult.
“The lads are focused. We’ll show them how Carlisle play and also the problems they caused us at their place. It wasn’t like we turned up, rubbed their bellies then banged seven goals in.
“I’m well aware teams come here and try and slow us down and stop us, and they’ll want to finish their season well.
“I watched them play Northampton [the other week] and they took a handful of fans, [but this week they’re bringing 1,500-1,600 – they want to thank their players for their efforts this year and their players will want to put on a show for them.
“I’m well aware that on their day they can beat anyone. You have to be at your best.”
Derby are on the brink of returning to the second tier and joining champions Portsmouth in the automatic promotion places.
A sell-out home crowd will expect the Rams to get the job done while Warne admits he will have half an eye on third-placed Bolton’s game at Peterborough United.
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“I’ll be absorbed in our own game but at half-time I’ll check the Bolton score…at full-time hopefully it won’t matter anyway,” he added.
“The lads are in good form, they’re feeling positive and upbeat, and it’s in our own hands – that’s how much we do know.
“We just have to look after our own performance. If we do we’ll have enough. If we don’t it still might be enough, or we might drop into the play-offs.
“If we win on Saturday we will average two points a game, which would have been enough to be champions last year, but not this year, because Portsmouth have been outstanding and congratulations to them.
“We go into the game like we do every game. I’m not saying we haven’t got [the promotion situation] in the back of our mind – and the front and middle – but we just have to perform at a level to try and win the game.
“We’ll set up to try and win the game and [hopefully] that will be enough.”
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