Morecambe manager Jim Bentley says a packed Globe Arena full of fans "slightly hungover" from New Year celebrations will make for a great occasion when Carlisle United visit.

The Shrimps are expecting one of their biggest crowds of the season with the Blues bringing more than 1,700 supporters.

Long-serving home boss Bentley believes the January 1 fixture will be an absorbing one both on and off the pitch.

Speaking to The Visitor, he said: "New Year's Day is a great day for football. Fans are a little bit hungover from the night before...

"We've played Carlisle twice already this season and it's a local game for us.

"We got beat [3-2] in the Checkatrade Trophy but I thought we turned in a very good performance on the day.

"And we thoroughly deserved our victory in the league up there when we beat them 2-0."

Bentley admits his 20th-placed side must pay eighth-placed United plenty of respect after the Blues' run of four straight wins and 15 goals.

But he believes John Sheridan will take Morecambe's threats just as seriously.

"We are playing them at a time when people might say it's a bad time to be playing Carlisle, because at the minute they are free-scoring," said Bentley, who was among the names linked with the United job in the summer before Sheridan's appointment.

"Give them the respect and credit they deserve, because they've done well of late.

"But I know Shez well. He'll be looking at our games, certainly Cambridge the last time when we played at home [and won 3-0], and thinking they are in for a tough game."

On tomorrow's encounter, the Morecambe boss added: "It has the makings of a good game.

"There is usually a pasiosnate following and a good atmosphere when we play Carlisle at home and I'm sure Tuesday will be no different.

"Both sets of fans will get behind their team and there is added spice with it being New Year's Day, and added spice as regards the night before and people being off work."