Manager Keith Curle has reiterated Carlisle United's players are fighting for their futures as they look to battle their way back into the League Two play-offs.

The Blues dropped to 10th in the league table after Saturday's results following their 3-3 draw against Crawley.

As a result, Carlisle will have to win both of their remaining two games to give themselves a realistic chance of finishing in the top seven, but will need three of Wycombe, Mansfield, Stevenage, Blackpool or Exeter to drop points in their final two matches. However, a swing in goal difference could also see the Blues overtake Wycombe and Mansfield.

United will face one of the other sides in the play-off race, Exeter in fifth, on the final day of the season after welcoming Newport for their last home match of the regular season on Saturday.

And boss Curle admitted even the future's of his players who are not out of contract at the end of the season may not be certain beyond this summer.

"Make no mistake about it, they are playing for their careers. It is very, very simple," the Blues boss said.

"Even if you are sat there with a year's contract, you are playing for your career. For the football club to move forward, we need people who make less mistakes."

But, with the Cumbrians still only a point outside the play-offs, Curle will not be "falling out with people" just yet.

He added: "We have two games left. There is no point me falling out with people. I will fall out with people at the end of the season when they are coming in and I tell them they no longer have a future with me.

"That is when you are going to see sad faces. But there is still time to keep going in what we are trying to do."

Curle last month suggested United's results between then and the end of the campaign were going to show "who's going to be in that changing room next year".

Despite failing to hold on for an overdue victory at Crawley on Saturday, Carlisle's manager felt there were some positives to build on from the draw, although he did say the Blues need to improve "as a collective" defensively.

Curle said: "We are scoring goals, we are creating opportunities. [But] we need improve as a collective on conceding goals.

"We are still in it. Now, we need two wins from two games."

Saturday's visitors to Brunton Park, Newport County, are 22nd and only two points outside of the relegation zone.

But they have won four of their five matches this month, keeping four clean sheets in the process with four 1-0 wins, and will be desperate for another victory this weekend as they edge towards securing their League Two status for another season.

Carlisle's youth team, meanwhile, will be at home to Preston North End today, looking for a third successive win.