Paul Simpson says Carlisle United will not “shirk the responsibility” of battling on to turn their dreadful form around.

The Blues, after eight straight League One defeats, head to Burton Albion tonight for their rearranged away game (Pirelli Stadium, 7.45pm).

United are desperate for an end to their dire losing run which has left them almost certain to be relegated.

The Cumbrians start the night 14 points adrift of safety with 13 games to go.

Simpson says he will not give up the ghost while United have a mathematical chance but says that “pride” in performance is the top priority now.

“The truth is, it would be as big an achievement as anything if we're able to do it [stay up],” said Simpson.

“So we will keep going.

“But we're playing for pride. This is before anything else.

News and Star: Carlisle suffered their eighth straight defeat at Bristol Rovers on SaturdayCarlisle suffered their eighth straight defeat at Bristol Rovers on Saturday (Image: Richard Parkes)

“It’s professional football and we are professional sports people. And we have to do everything we possibly can.

“Because that's our job to do it. And we're not going to shirk that responsibility.

“We're not going to hide away from it. We've just got to go and do everything we can to get the first result that gives us a chance to build on it.”

Tonight’s game sees United return to Burton after the game two weeks ago was postponed just over an hour before kick-off because of a waterlogged pitch.

Carlisle take on Martin Paterson’s 18th-placed Brewers who were beaten 2-0 by Northampton Town on Saturday.

Simpson is likely to take a similar squad to the Pirelli Stadium with Ben Barclay not certain to return after an ankle injury.

Carlisle put on an improved performance at Bristol Rovers on Saturday but the 2-1 defeat offered no end to their worst sequence of defeats since 2003.

“We have to find a way of getting results,” said Simpson.

“On Saturday I thought we went about it in a much better way than we did the previous weekend.

“And that's a massively pleasing thing, and certainly something that we have to continue now for these for these last 13 games.”

News and Star: Mark Gillespie saves Damien McCrory's penalty in Carlisle's previous game at Burton in 2015Mark Gillespie saves Damien McCrory's penalty in Carlisle's previous game at Burton in 2015 (Image: Barbara Abbott)

Carlisle face Burton at the Pirelli for the first time since 2015, when Danny Grainger scored and Mark Gillespie saved a penalty in a 1-1 draw in League Two.

The opposition keeper is ex-United man Max Crocombe, while young defender Finn Delap, 18-year-old son of former Carlisle star Rory, could be in the Brewers squad.

“It’s the next one for us. And it's a game that I was looking forward to when we went and it got called off,” said Simpson.

“I felt confident about our preparation for that one. I hope I feel confident going into this one, and I’ve certainly got more belief because the way we went about it [on Saturday].

“It's about just finding a way to get ourselves a result to get ourselves going.”