Manager Steven Pressley insists Carlisle United’s players should be excited ahead of the visit of leaders Lincoln.

The Blues desperately need to find form again if they are to keep their dwindling League Two play-off hopes alive, with Pressley saying he thinks United now need to take maximum points from their remaining four league fixtures if they are to break back into the top seven, sitting four points outside the play-offs. 

But they will be up against the already-promoted Imps, who will be crowned as League Two champions this afternoon if they win at Brunton Park (3pm kick-off), with more than 2,000 away fans set to make the journey.

Pressley, who is expected to make late decisions on whether a number of senior players are fit enough to be involved, said: “They [the players] should be looking forward to it.

“Football is a game where fortunes change very, very quickly. We have an opportunity.

"We had a really good result against a very good Bury side [winning 3-2], then disappointment last weekend [losing 3-0 at Stevenage], but that can change very quickly. We have to do everything in our power to ensure that happens.”

Pressley said this week he had, had a “frank meeting” with the players after their defeat at the Lamex Stadium, but accepts it’s what the players do on the pitch that really matters.

He said: “We can only show that on the matchday. We can continue to train, we can continue to apply all our aspects and continue to work towards a game plan. But we must show it out there, we must show it today.”

United’s manager believes his players need to be more physical against Lincoln, who have former Carlisle loan defender James Brown in their ranks, if they are to claim a much-needed win.

Ahead of the Cumbrians’ clash against Danny Cowley’s side, Jamie Devitt has today won the March Sky Bet League Two Goal of the Month award for his strike in the 2-2 home draw with Cambridge.

The Irish playmaker, 28, received 45 per cent of the vote as he beat off competition from Colchester’s Frank Nouble and Ryan Seager, of Yeovil.

Devitt said: “It was a good run from Callum [O’Hare], so I made sure I got into space when he started to cut back in towards the box.

“He rolled it in front of me and it was on for the shot, so I went for it. It was nice to see it go in.

“Before the game, I’d been talking about goals with my son, Mason, and it was him who said I had to do the Fortnite dance. It probably didn’t look the best but that was for him.”

Former Carlisle boss John Sheridan, meanwhile, has claimed some of the Blues’ current squad have contacted him to say they would be interested in following him to National League outfit Chesterfield in the summer.

He told The Derbyshire Times: “95 per cent of the players at Carlisle loved playing for me. I get texts from Carlisle players now who want to come here and I get them from Plymouth. They know, even though we’re nonleague, it’s a good stadium, a good set up, they want to come and play.

“They’ll know what I’m like.

“Hopefully, we’ll attract those players.”

Despite roadworks on Warwick Road, the supporters’ car park will be open as normal while Carlisle Rugby Club have also offered their parking area for use by fans.