Steven Pressley admits talk is cheap and only performances will win over Carlisle United’s critics.

The 19th-placed Blues go to winless Stevenage tomorrow seeking an improved display.

Last weekend’s showing against Exeter brought strong criticism and better is required at the Lamex Stadium.

Pressley has said he still has faith in his squad and has considered a range of options as he seeks the right outcome.

He will also consider a debut for new defensive signing Gethin Jones.

But he added: “The only way we can answer the critics and answer the disappointment is by performances.

“Not words – performances.

“That’s what we have to do. We have to get back to winning ways, get momentum and be a team that shows more consistency.”

Victory tomorrow can return United to mid-table in League Two but another setback will keep them at the wrong end of the table.

They face a home side under the caretaker control of Mark Sampson after Dino Maamria’s sacking earlier this week.

Pressley admits the change at the top at Stevenage has made it more difficult to anticipate what his side will face.

But he says focusing on United was always the priority this week regardless. He said: “The difficulty is that they were a certain kind of team under the previous manager and we don’t know how they’ll play at all.

“The new manager might immediately try and change their style of play.

“They were quite direct, but from [Sampson’s] history as a manager, it looks like he might consider being a more passing team.

“He might change the shape of the team, do a number of things. It’s very difficult for us to realise what they’re going to be.

“That’s why we’ve just zoomed on what we have to be. We have to get back to doing what we were two games ago. That team that takes it, plays fast attacking football: the statistics were all there to see we were doing that part of the game really well and I want to see us doing that again.

“It takes courage to play that way and we have to show that. That’s been the message all week.”

Pressley, who will assess Canice Carroll (ankle) ahead of the game, says United must tighten up in a number of areas compared with last weekend’s 3-1 home defeat to the Grecians.

He said: “There are areas of our game that we most definitely have to improve on. The physical data was very high last weekend, we covered the distance, but when I watched the game back, it was the inches and yards we didn’t do particularly well – we didn’t get close enough to stop crosses, didn’t win secondary balls.

“We worked very hard within that but didn’t do the small details well.

“What’s disappointed me is that I haven’t enjoyed watching us the last two games. One of the features of our play until the last two games is we’ve been a really strong passing game, that has played the right way.

“The statistics back that up – we were just outside the top passing team in the league until two games ago, we’re now fifth.

“Nobody tell me you can’t pass your way out of this league, because three of the top five passing teams are in the top five. There’s a bit of a myth about this league. But we’ve lost sight of that.

“The Exeter game gave us a bit of a barometer – I think we’re a little bit behind the likes of Exeter and these teams, but we’re better than we showed.

“Even throw-ins against us was a real problem. We gave up so many moments from throw-ins against us. It’s something we do week-in, week-out, and for some reason our concentration was poor, we didn’t react properly.

“We’re conceding too many goals and chances and I have to find solutions. Players also have a responsibility on that. We have to work together the find the answer.”