Keith Curle is demanding "bravery and honesty" from his threadbare Carlisle United side as they try to reverse their worst form of the season tonight.

The injury-hit Blues host play-off rivals Luton desperate for a turnaround after four straight defeats without scoring.

Curle is set to be without a host of key players after the damaging loss to Cambridge, which sent United down to fifth in League Two.

Tonight's visitors are one point and one position behind the Cumbrians and the manager, who criticised his team after Saturday's 3-0 reverse, said they must now respond.

"You have got to be brave, got to be honest," he said.

"When I spoke to them, I told them my disappointment and I’ve set them a challenge.

"Individually and collectively, they have all been addressed. They all know what I think of them. You go 20-odd games undefeated, and spend a period of the season within the top three, for a reason.

"But now is a different challenge. As a group, as a football club, we need to come together and we need to perform."

The Brunton Park clash (kick-off 7.45pm) is the first of United's 10-game run-in as they try to cling onto their promotion chances.

Their run of defeats is their worst for two years, while the Blues have never lost five on the spin under Curle.

The last time they endured a five-game losing run in the league was in September and October 2008.

Their attempt to avoid such a fate tonight is likely to be made without Mike Jones (ankle), Macaulay Gillesphey (knee), Jamie Devitt (thigh) and Jabo Ibehre (hamstring).

James Bailey starts a three-match ban following Saturday's red card while Jamie Proctor is being nursed through an injury.

With Michael Raynes and Jason Kennedy still to return, the squad is more depleted than at any stage this season.

Curle said: "We are thin on the ground in bodies. We are picking up injuries and suspensions at the wrong time.

"To get continuity and consistency is difficult. On Saturday we had players who shouldn’t have been on the bench. Jamie Proctor shouldn’t have played, but it is the character of the lad that he wants to be able to do something. If it is 10 or 12 minutes, he wants to give us that.

"There has been a period of time, as a group, that we haven’t been able to put out a consistent team with consistent performers. But, within that, the players selected are given the opportunity to go and perform."

Tonight's game comes three months after a stormy 1-1 draw at Luton which saw Raynes sent off for a challenge on striker Danny Hylton that Hatters boss Nathan Jones branded "cowardly".

The dismissal was, though, rescinded on appeal, with Curle going on to criticise Jones' remarks.

United's manager said: "There is a little bit of history in that game. There were accusations from their manager, saying one of our players cheated, which didn’t go down well with me. I think it will be a very competitive game."

Captain Scott Cuthbert (hamstring) is a doubt for Luton.