With the play-off dream still mathematically alive, United welcome Luton Town to Cumbria on Saturday as they aim to take a stride towards the top seven.
Keith Curle’s side were held to a 1-1 draw with Morecambe last weekend and sit six points off the play-off places with three games to play.
Luton, meanwhile, will be keen to pick up points themselves as they aim to clinch automatic promotion.
We put Nathan Jones’ men under the spotlight ahead of their visit to Brunton Park:
On The Brink
Luton were tipped by many to be promotion contenders this season after narrowly missing out in the play-offs last season, and Jones’ side haven’t disappointed thus far.
They currently sit second in the division having lost only eight games all season – the lowest of any club in Sky Bet League Two.
The Hatters have been in and around the top two all season and their recent form has been that of a promotion-winning side having lost just one of their last seven.
A win at Brunton Park will clinch promotion to the third tier, and Jones’ side will be keen to pick up those three points.
Division’s Top Scorers
Not only are Luton well and truly pushing for promotion, but they also boast the best attacking record in the division having netted 90 goals in their 43 league games thus far.
A 7-0 victory over Cambridge was their biggest winning margin of the season, and followed up a 7-1 triumph over Stevenage and an 8-2 demolition of Yeovil on the opening day.
Hatters’ striker Danny Hylton sits as the division’s second top goalscorer with 20 goals to his name, while strike partner James Collins has chipped in with 19 of his own.
What Does History Tell Us?
The two sides have met regularly in recent years - and it’s Luton who have the better of the meetings.
Of the 29 times the pair have faced off, the Hatters have claimed victory in 12 of them with Carlisle triumphant on only seven occasions.
Recent form is fairly mixed, with both games last season ending in draws and the two meetings in the 2015/16 season yielding one win each - including that sensational 4-3 comeback win for the Blues at Kenilworth Road.
Watch the highlights of that game here:
Our meeting earlier this season ended in a 3-0 win for Luton.
Ten Years Ago …
You have to go back to 2008 to find the last time United beat Luton on home soil.
Goals from Danny Livesey and Peter Murphy handed the Blues a 2-1 win, with David Bell’s second half strike only a consolation.
Since then, the Hatters’ three trips to Brunton Park have yielded two away wins and a goalless draw – that’s a stat Keith Curle will be desperate to change this weekend.
Ones to Watch
+ Scott Cuthbert - An experienced defender capable of playing at centre back or full-back, the former Leyton Orient man moved to Kenilworth Road in 2015 and quickly nailed down a place in the starting line-up. His impressive performances earned him the captain’s armband and he has already gone on to make nearing 100 appearances for the Hatters. He offers plenty of expertise in the lower leagues from his time at Swindon and Orient and is a reliable figure at the back.
+ Luke Berry - One of most sought-after names in the division, Luton captured the signing of the goal-scoring midfielder in the summer after he had impressed at divisional rivals Cambridge United. Berry netted 22 times for the U’s last season and has already bagged three for his new club since moving to Kenilworth Road. A threat from outside the area, and capable of proving both assists and goals, Berry will need to be watched carefully.
+ Danny Hylton - Sky Bet League Two’s joint top scorer so far, Hylton is a lively presence in and around the area and certainly knows how to find the back of the net. Formerly of Aldershot, Rotherham and Oxford, the striker offers experience aplenty and seems to keep improving year-on-year. He was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the division this season and has netted 20 times.
