Steven Pressley said he “understood” the chants for his head from Carlisle United fans – but said he would show his “resilience” in response.

Some travelling supporters called for Pressley’s dismissal as the Blues fell to a 3-0 defeat at Tranmere.

It left United with one win in 10 as they struggle to cling onto their play-off chances.

The Blues boss said he had no objection to those who chanted against him but said it would not affect his resolve.

“My message [to those fans] is I understand that. The results haven’t been good enough of late. That’s what comes with being a manager.

“What I will say is I’ve been here 12 games, which is a short period of time.

“Results haven’t been good enough but I’m really confident that I can make a difference at this club – I really believe that.

“I am seeing some positives. People will never see them [on a day like Saturday] but I do see them.

“I will keep working and I’m a very resilient man, make no mistake. I’m not frightened by that. That’s the type of thing that drives me on.

“I’m so determined to make a success here. No complaints about the supporters, but they will see a very resilient manager.”

Pressley also saw his second-half decision to substitute Jamie Devitt and send on Kelvin Etuhu, at a time United were 2-0 down, booed by some in the away end at Prenton Park.

He said this decision was down to a tactical change and also because Devitt was tiring.

He said: “We played with wing-backs for two reasons – one, I thought we could get out in those wide areas, and two, they [Tranmere] are quite prominent in attacking with full-backs.

“I thought when we went to that system it was a very positive system but we began to lose a bit of control and they could attack us in the wide areas. I went for a slightly more compact midfield four with two wider ones breaking from those positions, and two strikers.

“It was merely a tactical decision. I also thought Devitt was tiring a bit. He worked really hard and, a bit like last week when I subbed him, he was tiring.”

United had the better of the first half, with Callum O’Hare hitting the bar, before Ollie Banks scored for Tranmere on the stroke of half-time. James Norwood and Manny Monthe added further goals as Carlisle failed to trouble the hosts after the break, Micky Mellon’s side completing a seventh straight win.

United remain three points outside the play-off places in ninth.

Pressley said he had “no complaints” about his players’ effort and application, and said they carried out his game plan “brilliantly” in the first 44 minutes. But he said they needed to execute the “key moments” and “small details” better, including the set-pieces which led to Tranmere’s first and third goals.

He said United were guilty of a loss of concentration in those moments.

“It’s a situation where as a group of players we have to get together and say, ‘This doesn’t happen here’. We have to be pointing to each other, telling each other, cajoling each other.

“We have to have that mentality, because I have no complaints about the way they’re working for me.”

On the chants, he added: “A lot of heat comes with being a manager, that’s part of the job. If I see my players working hard like they did, I’ve not got a problem. I know that we’re not far away from turning the corner.

“The fans are disappointed as you could see. The only way we can change that is with results.”