Tranmere clash as big as it gets, admits Carlisle United boss
Mike Williamson admits Carlisle United’s clash with Tranmere Rovers today is as big as it gets.
The Blues head to Prenton Park desperate for a result that can reduce their four-point gap to safety.
They take on a Tranmere side sitting fourth-bottom and four points ahead of the 24th-placed Cumbrians.
United, with new signings Elliot Embleton and Callum Whelan in the squad and backed by more than 1,000 travelling fans, face another huge afternoon in their survival bid.
Williamson, the head coach, says nobody is under any illusions about the size of the game.
“I don't think you can get any bigger, can you?,” he said.
“In terms of where we are, and the games coming thick and fast…we have to go there and win.”
Midfielders Embleton and Whelan, who joined Carlisle this week, are in contention to be involved today while fellow new boy Will Patching may have to be patient for his debut as he works on his match fitness.
The first game of the second half of the 2024/25 season challenges United to build on the positivity of much of their New Year’s Day performance at Crewe Alexandra – but also banish the memory of their injury-time collapse at Gresty Road.
United will be backed by a big travelling support at Prenton Park (Image: Richard Parkes)
“We've got to take the positives of how good we played for the majority of the game,” said Williamson.
“The nature of where we are every game takes a real concerted effort, emotionally, to get in the right frame of mind, because we know how important it is.
“[Losing at Crewe] increases the importance of the next game, but we will do that, and we'll make sure that we're right.
“The boys know that doing the fundamentals well for 97, 98 minutes is important. We didn't see it through [at Crewe].
“[The good things we take from it] are the physical endeavour, how we were on the front foot in a manic and difficult game against a high-quality team and the quality of our set-pieces.”
Williamson acknowledged the part United’s fans can play today and in the wider battle ahead.
“They’re going to play a huge part,” he said.
“They were absolutely fantastic [at Crewe] and we’re certainly going to need them at Tranmere.”
Today’s hosts are in poor form with Tranmere boss Nigel Adkins facing calls for his head from fans.
Asked about the prospect of trying to turn an anxious home support early in the game. Williamson said: “We focus on ourselves. We want to just go there and make sure we do everything we possibly can to give us the best opportunity to win the game.”
If the head coach considers changes to his XI today it could bring the likes of Kadeem Harris, Jordan Jones and Aaron Hayden back into contention, along with new boys Embleton and Whelan.
United, Williamson added, are unlikely to have any of their injured players back in the short-term. The next players to return, he said, were set to be Terell Thomas and Ethan Robson. “We’re talking February, or back end of January at least,” he said.
“They're back in there, joining in bits and bobs. I think they’re the two closest.”
