Keith Curle has told his Carlisle United players to "play the game not the occasion" when the Blues try to cling on to their play-off hopes this weekend.

United desperately need to beat Newport tomorrow to keep their top-seven chances realistically alive heading into the final round of games.

But should certain results go against Carlisle, both at Brunton Park and elsewhere, it could spell the end of their dwindling promotion chances.

The stakes could scarcely be higher against third-bottom Newport, for whom victory could ensure survival.

Despite a run of one win in 12 games, manager Curle remains optimistic about a positive outcome on home soil.

But he says his squad cannot be sidetracked by everything that is riding on the contest.

He said: "The important thing is we need to play the game and not the occasion.

"We need an environment for the players to go out and perform. That [has been] created throughout the week, and then we need Brunton Park to be a fortress.

"We need all the support. We need that extra man.

"Looking at the positives, we have a home game. You would back yourself at home against anyone in this division.

"We win that then, potentially, you are going into the last game of the season against an Exeter team that could be potentially comfortably in the play-offs and lining themselves up for play-off games.

"Will they want a fully committed performance from their players or will they be safeguarding some of their players to give themselves the best opportunity in the play-offs? That is a positive."

Newport's run of four wins from five games, a spell that has seen four clean sheets, has given them a strong chance of retaining their League Two status, and they could confirm their safety if they beat United and second-bottom Hartlepool lose at Cheltenham.

Around the play-off places, meanwhile, 10th-placed United are one of three clubs a point outside the top seven, though their -1 goal difference is comfortably the worst of the main contenders.

Stevenage, currently seventh, go to Yeovil on Saturday while the other sides directly above Carlisle - Mansfield and Wycombe - face Portsmouth and Morecambe respectively.

Another side in direct reach - sixth-placed Blackpool - face a trip to Notts County.

Curle has this week insisted that his players are playing for their futures, while he has further selection decisions to make for United's final home game of the regulation 2016/17 season.

Nicky Adams - last weekend named in the PFA team of the year for League Two - will be challenging for a place having been left on the bench for last weekend's 3-3 draw at Crawley.

Curle said the winger - who was introduced from the bench against Stevenage in United's previous game - was still continuing his rehabilitation after a hamstring injury.

Jason Kennedy and Tom Miller have also not featured recently after injuries.

Newport, meanwhile, are eager to keep up their impressive recent form and have pinpointed Carlisle's award-winning pitch as something that could work in their favour tomorrow.

Led by stadium manager David Mitchell, United were named League Two groundsteam of the year by the EFL, winning the prize ahead of Doncaster, Portsmouth and Plymouth.

The accolade was hailed by Blues chairman Andrew Jenkins, but Newport's Mark Randall says the visitors - whose own pitch has been notoriously poor this season - are also looking forward to the impressive surface.

The Exiles midfielder said: "I honestly believe we can [stay up] now but we have to take it game by game. Carlisle away is a massive game and it's two cup finals, really.

"We had a lot of chances against Accrington and only took one, but I think Carlisle's pitch is half-decent, so hopefully we can take more."

Carlisle's in-form youth side claimed a third straight win on Tuesday after beating Preston 5-2. Josh Dixon (two), Luke Lloyd, Jack Egan and Kieran Hall were on target. Darren Edmondson's under-18s host Wigan next Tuesday.