Burton Albion boss Martin Paterson has warned his players that Carlisle United are "dangerous" despite their awful form in League One.
The manager of tonight's opponents insists the Blues are a "good team" whose latest display belied their position at the foot of League One.
The Brewers take on United at the Pirelli Stadium tonight in their rearranged meeting after it was postponed at short notice two weeks ago because of a waterlogged pitch.
Carlisle have lost their last eight games and are 14 points adrift of safety.
But Paterson said the performance of Paul Simpson's side in their 2-1 defeat at Bristol Rovers shows they cannot be taken for granted.
"I've watched Carlisle's game against Bristol Rovers twice in terms of analysing and they're dangerous," Paterson told his club's website.
"They're dangerous for many different reasons but it's not easy to play any team in League One.
"We respect them and we have to do our job and understand we're coming off a loss at home so we need to be like a wounded animal and make sure we put in a performance and we need a very good performance to beat this Carlisle team, because their performance at the weekend should have got something out of Bristol Rovers.
"It's a good team and they are dangerous and we're certainly not switching off as their performance on Saturday didn't match where they are in the league.
"That's a compliment to them and a warning to my team."
Victory tonight would see Carlisle complete their first league double of the season, having defeated the Brewers 2-1 at Brunton Park in October.
Another defeat, though, would give the Blues the unwanted landmark of setting the second-longest losing league run in the club's history - a feat they currently share with United's 1934/35 and 1986/87 sides. The record of 12 defeats was set by Carlisle in 2003/04.
Burton went down to a 2-0 defeat at home to Northampton Town on Saturday, and sit five points above the relegation zone.
"That 20-minute period at the start of the game was probably the best we've started since I've been in charge and the best period we've had in terms of pressure," added Paterson.
"We should have scored in that period and that's on me.
"We're not looking for excuses but we certainly take the positives and this group certainly need positivity around them and we need to convert those chances to go on and win games."
Paterson, who replaced Dino Maamria at the Burton helm last month, remains without Jasper Moon and Sam Hughes, but can call on one ex-Carlisle man in goalkeeper Max Crocombe, while teenage defender Finn Delap, son of former Blues star Rory, has been in the Brewers squad in recent weeks.
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