Steven Pressley admits he plans to tap into new Carlisle United first-team coach Nathan Rooney’s knowledge, ahead of the Blues’ League Two opener against Crawley.

The former Crawley assistant joined the Cumbrians earlier this month, having worked as a player development coach and youth team manager at Fleetwood in Pressley’s time there.

Ahead of United’s clash with the Sussex side this Saturday, Pressley said: “If you look at their group, they still have the nucleus of the group that played last year.

"They have added to that, they have a very big squad. By the looks of it, they are an ambition club.

“But we have a little bit of insight with Nathan Rooney who was there last year who can give us pointers and ideas about what they are trying to achieve from the way they go about their game.

"As a staff, we have already watched their last couple of games from pre-season. Pre-season doesn’t always show you everything, as we know, but it gives us a little bit of an insight.”

Ex-United striker Ashley Nadesan, who has signed for Crawley this summer, is likely to miss the game through an ankle injury.