Keith Curle has ordered his new-look team not to take their foot off the gas ahead of tonight’s cup clash with Chesterfield.

The Blues boss wants to use tonight’s Capital One Cup first round tie (Brunton Park, 7.45pm) to build on his side’s solid league start at Mansfield.

With United having performed well against higher-division opponents in pre-season, Curle says consistency is now key against Dean Saunders’ League One Spireites.

And the Carlisle manager says he will not be easing off and treating the cup as a distraction or a luxury fixture.

“It’s a massive opportunity for us,” Curle said.

“I want to win football matches and to do that I’ve got to put a very competitive team out there.

“Do we take our foot off the gas? No. There are players who want to get in the team, and players who have got the shirt have got to keep on performing.

“With the fitness levels, strength and character we’ve got, we have to ask can we roll out 50, 55, 60 games consistently?”

Curle could make changes tonight and will be assessing the fitness of Joe Thompson, who missed Saturday’s 1-1 draw with a back problem. Others who did not appear at Mansfield, such as Charlie Wyke and Steven Rigg, will be pushing for a chance.

“I can’t pick and choose when we win games,” Curle added.

“It won’t be a weakened team because I don’t think we’ve got a weak squad.”

Tonight’s tie sees a return to Brunton Park for Saunders, who scored against Carlisle in the same competition whilst with Derby back in 1990.

It will also see Curle renew battle with a man he often faced on the pitch during his playing days.

Curle said: “Dean was one of those players you could kick and he’d come back for more.

“That’s testament to how good a centre-forward he was.

“You would try to intimidate people, get in their shorts , and you’d find some players would soon want to go and play somewhere else.

“Dean was different – he had a lot of banter about him and could take a kick.

“He wasn’t necessarily a player who would give it out, but his way of hurting you was putting the ball in the back of your net.

“As a person I like Dean – a very bright, bubbly person and a good character for football.”

Saunders’ Spireites gave their new boss a winning start on Saturday, coming from behind to beat Barnsley 3-1.

Debut goalscorer and former Wolves hitman Sylvan Ebanks-Blake could again be involved for the visitors.

Saunders could also rotate his squad and anticipates a tough test.

“Keith Curle was aggressive as a player and he’ll be aggressive as a manager,” Saunders said.

“We know what we’ll be up against – Carlisle are a decent team and it’s a tough away trip.

“Jabo Ibehre is quick and he gets in behind your defence so we’ve got to prepare ourselves.”