Gavin Skelton has told Carlisle United’s players to embrace the extra pressure of delivering the goods at Brunton Park.

United host Oldham today in a crucial game at the wrong end of League Two (Brunton Park, 3pm).

Second-bottom Carlisle can escape the drop zone with a win over Keith Curle’s Latics, who are ahead of the Blues on goal difference.

United gave an improved performance to draw 2-2 with Newport in midweek but Skelton admits returning to play in front of home fans brings a different challenge.

“There’s more of an expectation, and rightly so,” the caretaker manager said.

“We’re not where we want to be [in the league], we’ve got a big fanbase, so there’s more expectation.

“In life, if you want to achieve anything, there is expectation, and the joy when you’re under that expectation when it comes off and you perform, is even more so.

“It’s something you have to embrace and enjoy. If you’re not playing well you’re going to get stick, if you are doing well and performing well people go with that.”

Skelton is unlikely to tinker much with the side that drew 2-2 at Rodney Parade.

He must decide whether to give Taylor Charters another outing this afternoon after calling up the young Cumbrianmidfielder for his first league start of the season on Tuesday.

Joe Riley, who scored the opening goal in south Wales, could continue at right-back while Kelvin Mellor continues his comeback from injury.

Curle, whose coaching staff includes ex-Blues duo Colin West and Steve Collis, is likely to include former United striker Hallam Hope, but Nicky Adams could miss out through injury.

Skelton, for whom it will be a third game in interim charge, hopes to see evidence of a lift in confidence in United today after they stopped the rot at Newport.

He said: “The lads must take confidence from it, that’s the key thing.

“They were disappointed they didn’t win it but they enjoyed the way they played.

“Getting the goals meant a lot; don’t forget we hadn’t scored for a few games, and that naturally plays on everyone’s minds. It’s a talking point, so hopefully they take confidence from that as well.

“As well as the goals we had a number of shots on target and we created some good chances, and from that we got good individual performances and a good team performance. We have to use it as a springboard to take into this game.”