Addicks skipper Johnnie Jackson spoke to the official Charlton website ahead of his side's League One game against Carlisle at the Valley on Saturday afternoon, midfielder Jackson first talking about the challenge United will offer :
"I'm expecting a tough game and they won comfortably 3-0 last weekend away from home, but they're a good side that likes to pass and they're quite attacking. That may suit us as a side which wants to play instead of wanting to stop other teams, but they've got some players we need to look out for. We've done a bit of work on them, and we'll be prepared for what they've got. It's important that we get back to the way we were playing earlier in the season at The Valley.
"The fans have been great but, after last Saturday, I think it was little bit doom and gloom for a while thinking the run had come to an end. We're still top of the league, though, and have lost just one game in 13, so anyone would have taken that if it was offered at the start of the season. It's important to remember those things. Not winning in two games is a slight concern, but these things happen and we've gone away on the road and got good results.
“We want to win them all, but obviously we're not going to, so Saturday is a good chance to put it right again. I don't particularly think we played well on the day at Stevenage, and we didn't perform as we had done in the previous 12 games. It was disappointing that the run came to an end, but one defeat in 13 is not too shabby - it's time to put it to bed and move on.
"There are a lot of new players at the club and I'm one of the older heads now, but I'm enjoying it and I hope the players have responded to me. I've had a decent winning record as skipper, so I'm hoping that continues. It looked for a long time like we might not get the equaliser [against Tranmere] and we didn't play our greatest, but we ground it out and got the penalty.
“After a bit of a wait, I managed to score and it was pleasing, but we want to be winning our home games. I think setting goal targets is more of a striker's thing, but I said at the start of the season that if I can match last year's tally or better it, then I'd be really pleased. I've got it into my head that if I can get into double figures, I'll see where I go from there.
"I don't think taking on the salute is really me - I know Robbie Elliot used to do it and he was here for years. The gaffer (Chris Powell) used to do it as well, but I don't think I've quite reached that status yet, so I don't think I'm ready to take on the mantle. Maybe in a year's time, but I'll leave that one for now. I don't know if the players want me to take over the music because my choices are in the minority, but I let them get on with it now. I had my little stint in the dressing room and it didn't go down too well, to be honest."
In team news for Charlton tomorrow they will definitely be missing three players, the trio being central midfielder Bradley Pritchard who is out after fracturing a metatarsal bone in his foot in mid-September, while teenage centre-back Harry Osborne is also a long-term absentee after suffering a double fracture of his right fibula in a pre-season match against Gillingham, the final Addick absentee being Spanish teenage winger Ruben Bover Izquierdo who is currently struggling with an ankle injury.
There are also doubts though over the participation of striker Paul Benson who only just returned to action in a midweek reserve friendly win at Millwall on Tuesday afternoon following a broken finger, while 21-year old former Oldham central midfielder Dale Stephens could miss the game as his partner is expecting to give birth in the imminent future.
The referee for tomorrow's match is Darren Sheldrake from East Molesey in Surrey and he will be assisted down the lines by Oleksandr Saliy from Enfield in Middlesex and Dean Treleaven from Chichester in West Sussex. Meanwhile the fourth official is Stuart Butler from Coxheath in Kent.