Carlisle United boss Keith Curle has made the shock claim that there are people inside the club who want him to fail.

The Blues manager said certain individuals will be "enjoying" the fact his team are currently out of form - and he "knows who they are".

United's manager made the claim to the News & Star after his team slipped to a third straight defeat at Plymouth.

The Blues are still in the League Two automatic promotion places with 11 games to go, but Curle believes not everyone at Brunton Park is happy with him.

After it was put to Curle that fans may be questioning certain things in light of recent results, he said: "Some of them will.

"But bear in mind there will be some people who will be quite enjoying the fact that I'm not being successful. That's inside of the club and outside of the club.

"It doesn’t change my mindset. I'm here to be successful."

Curle initially declined to elaborate on his comment, saying: "It's a statement I'm happy with".

But asked again, United's manager added: "From day one when I walked in, I've not been able to convince everybody that I'm the right person to change a lot of things that have been going on at the football club.

"That will be the same until I leave, and until somebody else comes in and gets different results.

"I'm quite happy that I know who they are and it doesn’t affect me."

Curle did not name any of the people he believes are against him.

But his remarks hint at a lack of unity in some areas of Brunton Park at a time when the club are supposed to be striving for promotion.

The 2-0 defeat at Home Park left them just one point above the play-off places, with Portsmouth eyeing third place if they win their game in hand at Crawley tomorrow.

Fourth-placed Luton also still have a game in hand on the Blues.

Curle admitted mistakes cost Carlisle against Plymouth.

He said: "Some of our decision-making process has got to improve.

"It's blatantly obvious, the wrong decisions we're making. We've got to tighten up.

"Everybody - players, coaches, supporters, owners, staff - we're all being punished for silly mistakes. What we need is accountability. Do your own job well, and don't make errors. If you make errors you get punished. If you don't, you don't. Very simple."

Curle also conceded his team had not created enough while they were chasing the game in Devon.

He also questioned the decision to disallow a Reggie Lambe goal for offside whilst the game was 0-0.

Curle said: "I asked [the officials] for an explanation, and the explanation I got is as clear as mud.

"What I was told was that, before the ball was played, he [Lambe] was in an offside position.

"I said well, he wasn’t offside when the ball was crossed. I didn’t get an answer to that."

Curle added: "I'm not a character that feels sorry for himself. I know that everything I get I earn. I've got a changing room that's very honest and very understanding of that as well."