Keith Curle says his Carlisle United squad are playing for their futures as they desperately try to end their poor run of form.

The manager says the current run of seven games without a win or a goal has left him assessing who still deserves to be at the club next season.

While Curle insisted the squad was still fully behind him, he did accept the rest of United's campaign was going to determine who to keep.

"Things are going against us at the minute - and this is where we find out who's going to be in that changing room next year," the Blues boss said.

Curle refused to "lambast" his players despite the 2-0 home defeat to Crewe which saw United fall out of the play-off places.

He bemoaned the lack of goals in his current squad - a cause not helped by Shaun Miller's three-match ban following his straight red card against his former club.

Curle declined to haul his players in for training yesterday and said he would do all he could to encourage better performances from them.

"[The character] is there," he said. "It needs massaging and cajoling, it needs tending.

"I could have gone in there and satisfied myself and ruined everybody's Mothers' Day by getting them in [yesterday], run them up and down and absolutely lambasted them.

"Is that going to help them in the situation we're in? In my opinion, no. Is it a lack of effort? No. Lack of application, no.

"We're missing key players, we sold key players and we've got goals not in our team at the minute."

Asked if he still believes the dressing room was united behind him, Curle added: "You can feel free to speak to any player, any member of staff, anyone down this corridor. I've not got a problem with the backing I get in there."

United's latest setback was worsened by the loss of Nicky Adams to a hamstring injury.

The winger could now face a lay-off, while the Blues will not appeal Miller's dismissal after his poor challenge on Crewe's Oliver Turton.

Curle admitted his team was "fragile" as a result of their poor run, which extended their goalless period to 686 minutes.

But he insisted the damaging spate of injuries suffered by his squad were not a result of poor preparation.

"Now we're facing another challenge, and one of our most industrious and creative players [Adams] is out injured now," Curle said.

"The list can go on, the injuries we've had. If it was down to the training regime, anything in particular, we'd be able to identify it. But players are getting injured in games.

"Are we over-training them? No. Are we under-training them? No. Everything we're doing is monitored in detail to make sure we give ourselves the best opportunity to keep all the first-team and youth team players fit and available.

"At the minute we're being hit with everything and this is going to show exactly what we've got inside the football club. We take it on board and see it as another challenge.

"We need a win, a change of fortune, and to go into the end of the season on a flurry."

Curle said his decision to substitute Jamie Devitt - a decision some fans booed - was to protect the fit-again midfielder with next weekend's trip to Yeovil in mind.

He also said Jason Kennedy would be closely monitored ahead of a possible return at Huish Park, although Curle said the midfielder could be given an extra week.

Jabo Ibehre is also close to a return, while Curle's latest two signings missed out on a place in Saturday's squad.

The manager said striker Ben Tomlinson needed to undergo extra fitness work, while Samir Nabi's registration had yet to arrive from India following his recent spell with Delhi Dynamos.

Chairman Andrew Jenkins, meanwhile, used his programme notes to insist he and his boardroom colleagues are not liars.

The co-owner said he hoped to convince some fans in a meeting of the regime's "passion" for the club.

Jenkins added: "I can assure you, as we will be saying to them, that we are ambitious and we don't tell lies, but we do keep certain matters confidential when we are asked to do so."

It was a better day for United's youth team, who beat Bury 5-1 thanks to goals from Cameron Salkeld (two), Jack Egan, Sam Adewusi and Kieran Hall.