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The Blues welcome the Seagulls to Cumbria looking to continue a useful home record over the years. United having won nine, drawn one and lost four of the 14 games played between the two sides at Brunton Park.
The Cumbrians have defeated Albion three times in a row at Brunton Park and last season in League One the score finished 3-1 to Carlisle in mid-November just less than a fortnight after the sacking of John Ward, that being United's first win in 13 games. The Blues, in front of 5,333 spectators, going 3-0 up thanks to goals from Marc Bridge-Wilkinson (2) and Cleveland Taylor before a 64th minute Matt Richards deflected strike only proved to be a consolation for the visitors.
Carlisle's biggest win at home to Brighton came way back in the 1972-73 season when the Blues ran out 5-1 winners in the old Second Division, nine days before Christmas Day 1972. The goals that day coming from a Bobby Owen hat-trick, Les O'Neill and Tot Winstanley, albeit in front of just 5,671 fans inside Brunton Park.
United's biggest defeat meanwhile came in the 1984-85 season, the Cumbrians losing 3-0 on the opening day of the Division Two campaign, Terry Connor, Steve Penney and Danny Wilson bagging the goals for the Seagulls as only 4,721 spectators watched the action unfold.
For a detailed analysis of the head-to-head between the two sides, click here
| Recent encounters between the teams | |||||
| 2008/2009 | Sat 14 Feb | Brighton & HA | 0 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2008/2009 | Sat 15 Nov | Carlisle | 3 - 1 | Brighton & HA | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 08 Mar | Carlisle | 2 - 0 | Brighton & HA | LGE1 |
| 2007/2008 | Sat 24 Nov | Brighton & HA | 2 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2006/2007 | Sat 30 Dec | Brighton & HA | 1 - 2 | Carlisle | LGE1 |
| 2006/2007 | Sat 23 Sep | Carlisle | 3 - 1 | Brighton & HA | LGE1 |
| 2000/2001 | Sat 21 Apr | Carlisle | 0 - 0 | Brighton & HA | LGE2 |
Recent respective form guides
Carlisle have only performed averagely at home recently, winning three, drawing one and losing two of their last six matches at Brunton Park. A total of eight goals have been scored by the Blues in those games, with five conceded.
Brighton have at best an average recent record on the road, collecting one win and three draws from their last six matches played away from the Withdean Stadium. While the Seagulls have netted six goals, a massive 14 have hit the back of the wrong net, although seven of those did come in a 7-1 hammering at Huddersfield.
Carlisle's eight points earned from six games played sees them lie inside the top half of the table, in ninth position. Brighton meanwhile occupy the last relegation spot in the League One table with a return of just five points from their six games contested thus far.
For a detailed analysis of team form guides throughout the leagues, click here
| Last six games form guide | P | W | D | L | F | A | P |
| Carlisle | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 11 |
| Brighton & HA | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 5 |
FootyMad's prediction ...
It's a close one to call, but the Footymad panel think that the Cumbrians' reasonable showing at home is going to see them scrape past Brighton. Home Win
| Sequence statistics | |
| Carlisle | Unbeaten in previous four matches. Six games since last home draw. |
| Brighton & HA | Not won in previous five away matches. |