Keith Curle insists his meeting with the Carlisle United hierarchy this week is not a case of "me versus them".

The Blues manager is set to sit down with club bosses on Friday.

Among the key topics under discussion will be Curle's January transfer budget and his own contract situation.

Both matters remain in focus after Carlisle's latest attempt to join the play-off race was hit by back-to-back defeats.

After Monday's 3-1 loss at Mansfield, Curle suggested he needed to bring in new players.

He is unlikely to have much cash to spend in this transfer window but said recent results would not change the nature of Friday's meeting.

"We need to improve. We need finances to be made available to improve and, as has been documented, the football club will make as much money as they have got available to help and guide with that improvement," he said.

"We need more bodies and we need more bodies with better quality.

"We have to have a short, medium and long-term plan. The short-term plan is we need better personnel in the building that can get better results consistently to gain points.

"It’s not a difficult conversation – it’s not me against them. Everybody who is sitting around that table wants the same. We want to see improvement."

United's display at the One Call Stadium led Curle to suggest he needed to add different qualities to his squad.

That is likely to mean certain players will be allowed to leave the club this month in order to make room for additions.

His own future, meanwhile, has been questioned by some supporters, with United 13th in League Two.

Before Monday's game, the manager - whose deal is up in the summer - said he was hoping for "clarity" on the situation when he meets directors in two days' time.

Curle, meanwhile, said he would take full responsibility for Carlisle's fortunes and would protect his players when criticism was made.

"I am a football manager - if I lose games, there are questions to be answered," he said.

"What I will never do is shirk away from my own responsibilities as the football club’s manager.

"When the players make mistakes, I take responsibility – that’s how it works.

"When players play well and get the rewards and the points, they get all the praise. I steer the praise towards them."

Midfielder Kelvin Etuhu was yesterday due to undergo a scan on a leg injury which could rule him out of Saturday's FA Cup clash with Sheffield Wednesday.

Luke Joyce also remains an injury doubt for the third round tie against the Owls.

Saturday's opponents, though, are set to welcome George Boyd back from a shoulder injury.

The former Burnley man has been out since September. Sheffield Wednesday caretaker boss Lee Bullen said: “He’s back in full training now and he’s had full contact on the shoulder and that’s important when you have an injury like that.

“He will be available for selection for Saturday’s cup tie at Carlisle.”

The Owls, meanwhile, yesterday appointed controversial former Charlton chief executive Katrien Meire as their new CEO.

Meire had often been the target of supporter protests at The Valley over her running of the club under Roland Duchatelet's ownership.

"This is a massive challenge at a massive club," she said.