Carabao Cup: Carlisle United's plans for Stoke City tie

But the Blues boss says he still wants consistency in performance from the XI he sends out for the Carabao Cup first round tie.

Brunton Park’s first game of 2024/25 sees United up against Championship visitors (kick-off 7.30pm).

Only part of the stadium will be open for the game, with ongoing renovation work meaning the East Stand and Warwick Road End will be closed to home fans.

For the Cumbrians it is a first chance to bounce back from Saturday’s opening-day League Two hiding at Gillingham.

And it is an opportunity to impress against former Blues loanee Steven Schumacher’s second-tier players.

Asked if he would rotate his squad for the game, Simpson said: “Maybe – as much as I can, yeah.

Dan Butterworth is among the players who could be in the frame for a start tonight (Image: Richard Parkes)

“But I want to try and get some consistency.

“We've changed everything over pre-season, and I want to get some consistency. I want to get a level of performance that gets us a result.

“Stoke are a very tough team, a good side. Steven Schumacher's done really well there.

“It'll be a tough test, but it's a great challenge for us.”

If Simpson opts for changes, it could see the likes of forwards Luke Armstrong and Georgie Kelly – both substitutes at Gillingham – in the mix.

Others who were on the bench on Saturday and who could be hoping for involvement tonight include Dan Butterworth, Gabe Breeze, Sam Lavelle and Jack Ellis.

Stoke, meanwhile, are also expected to make changes following their 1-0 victory over Coventry City in their Championship opener.

But their former Carlisle keeper Jack Bonham looks set to miss out because of a wrist injury, while new signing Bosun Lawal, who has joined for Celtic, is unlikely to figure.

Stoke's ex-United keeper Jack Bonham is out with a wrist injury (Image: PA)

Schumacher was one of Simpson’s earliest signings at Brunton Park when he joined on loan from Everton in the autumn of 2003, soon into Simpson’s caretaker spell after succeeding Roddy Collins at the United helm.

“I gave him his Football League debut,” said Simpson.

“He's done really well in his management and he’s at a really good football club.

“It'll be great to see a Championship club come to us and hopefully we'll put on a good show.

“It’ll be good to be back at Brunton Park. It's not going to be a finished Brunton Park with the work going on, but there'll be a lot of stuff there. And we've just got to make sure we get a performance and take what comes after that.”

Tonight is only the fifth competitive meeting between United and Stoke anf the first since April 1986, when the clubs drew 0-0 at Stoke's Victoria Ground in the old Division Two.

It's the Potters' first visit to Brunton Park since November 1985 when the Blues won 3-0.

The previous two encounters came in the 1974/75 First Division season, when Stoke won 2-0 at Brunton Park and 5-2 on home soil.