Steve Schumacher is ready to get stuck into Carlisle tonight with the warning: We owe you one.

City need to clamber back on the wagon after successive away defeats at Brentford and Swansea.

And the pain of last month's Carling Cup loss to the Cumbrians will provide even greater incentive.

Carlisle edged through a tense first-round clash 5-4 on penalties and Schumacher insists it will be pay-back time at Valley Parade.

"It hurts even more to lose in that way," said the energetic midfielder, who had confidently fired home City's opening spot-kick in the shoot-out.

"Credit to Carlisle for putting their penalties away but it was a frustrating evening.

"It was a good game that night but we thought we did enough in the 90 minutes to have won anyway. But looking on the positive side, we owe them one and hopefully we can get them back tonight."

Schumacher made his professional debut three years ago for Carlisle while on loan from Everton, playing six games and scoring once against Huddersfield. Central midfield partner Marc Bridge-Wilkinson also had a temporary spell at Brunton Park during his Derby days.

Schumacher said: "Carlisle are a big club with a good fanbase and pay decent wages to their players. I'm not surprised to see that they are doing well.

"The summer after I was there, Carlisle went down - but they have come back stronger with two straight promotions. They've done a great job getting back up to this league and have that momentum going.

"They made a few changes for the cup game and I'm sure they'll come with a stronger side to our place. It won't be easy but we've just got to rise to it and play like we can.

"It's disappointing to have got nothing from two away games. We talked before Brentford about not getting beaten and to lose both like that was hard to take.

"Swansea was definitely one of those days for us. After being stuck on the coach for nine hours to get there, it made it even worse to get nothing from it.

"I thought we created some decent chances and played some good football but the end product just wasn't there. I nearly scored in the last minute but the lad got a touch off his heel which took it away from the bottom corner and that just summed it up.

"Unfortunately you get weeks like that in football when you play well but it doesn't turn out the way you want. But with Carlisle and Port Vale coming up, it's important we pick ourselves straight back up and win these two home games.

"Another six points from tonight and on Saturday and everybody will be flying again and we'll be back up there where we feel we should be."

THE OPPOSITION

A player from Colin Todd's first game in charge will be doing his best to make sure his 100th league clash as City manager goes with a whimper.

Goalkeeper Kieren Westwood played for City at Harrogate in the first pre-season friendly after Todd took over the reins from Bryan Robson in 2004.

The youngster, who had been released by Manchester City, also featured the following week against Farsley but was let go when Paul Henderson turned up at City's door.

After other unsuccessful trials, Westwood was offered a chance with Carlisle and quickly established himself as a promising young stopper. Still only 21, he has been a regular in the side since October last year.

Westwood's form means that City's spot-kick nemesis Anthony Williams will have to make do with a place on the bench.

Williams was one of seven changes Neil McDonald made for last month's Carling Cup clash and emerged the unexpected hero when he saved a penalty from Dean Windass at the end of the shoot-out.

Carlisle are expected to make one change from the side held 1-1 by Northampton at Brunton Park on Saturday.

Midfielder Paul Thirlwell, a Derby team-mate of Lee Holmes and Nathan Doyle, is set to be handed the first start of his three-month loan from Pride Park.

Thirlwell said: "I had no reservations about coming to Carlisle because this club is on the up and wants to be a Championship club.

"I don't know a lot about the club but I don't see why we can't do that."