Former Carlisle boss Mick Wadsworth spoke to BBC Tees, his club's official website and the Northern Echo ahead of his side's League One clash against Carlisle at Brunton Park tomorrow afternoon, Wadsworth saying both 'Pools performances against United last season were below par :
"It's a great challenge for us again, we lost twice last year to Carlisle and our performance in both games was below par in a season where we had a reasonably good season last year. I remember those two games obviously having been at Carlisle many years ago, I have got good friends in Carlisle, I had a fantastic time there, a really successful period of my career so you always have that added interest and that added need to go and do well.
"The fact that we are six games into the season and we've done OK, then it's important for the momentum that we keep it going and it is important for confidence and it is important both tactically and technically that what we do in training and what we have done in the games is putting us on a good track. But, you are only one defeat away from examining everything so the longer we can keep it going obviously the better, and it would be fantastic to have a really good long run without defeat.
"It doesn't feel like a derby to me, I suppose to the supporters because of the history, there have been some keen contests in the past. They are one of our nearer clubs, one up in the north-west and us up in the north-east, so there is always that interest of going over the hills, so we are looking forward to it. So, we need to keep this run going, we need to be resolute and strong and determined and believe in what we are doing and try to get another result that keeps us going the right way up the league.
"I don't know what recent problems Carlisle have had injury-wise, I don't know what problems they have had suspension-wise, I haven't really looked at that. I will look at the reports today, I have looked at the preliminary report we have got, but if they have got ten points then they have had a decent start, they did better than us in the first two or three games, we were drawing games and they had some wins."
"They are in a good position, so if they beat us on Saturday then they will think they have had a good start, and if we beat them then we will be thinking we have had a fantastic start, so it is all to play for. Lubomir Michalik is a very good player but them having him back is nothing that we shoud be worried about, we have got good players who have been very solid by and large so it is a fantastic test because it is always a good atmosphere at Brunton Park and the pitch is usually really, really good so it is something to look forward to and not to fear.
"I don't think Evan Horwood will be fit, I think he is at least a week away from what the medical people are saying, and I spoke with Evan this morning so I don't think Evan will be fit. Sam Collins is going to be fit which is good news, he is training this morning, young (Jordon) Mellish is training, he has been out for two or three weeks so we are getting more people back on the pitch at the moment.
"Stephen Wright has done very, very well as well so I will look at that and see what we need to do, if we need to do anything, Sam knows the situation now, if it is that Sam can't get straight back into the team then that is real good plaudits to those that are in the team, so we will see. Perhaps it is a marker, Sam is a key player – captain – and if he has to bide his time to get back in the team, and I’m not saying that’s the case yet, then it’s a good sign and Sam understands it.
"We look a bit tighter than last year. This year we have a unit of 21/22 players and if we play any of them I don't really worry too much about who is out and who is in. We don't bemoan our luck, but we lost key players early on and people came in and did OK. Hopefully it will carry us on to better things and it's nice to be unbeaten after having injuries. It would be nice with more wins, although we are in a decent situation, but if we lose we can slip up and be in a poor situation.''