CARLISLE boss Paul Simpson has outlined his five-point plan for Valley Parade.

Simpson is targeting a double over the Bantams to give his side more breathing space in the congested League Two play-off picture.

He said: “It’s a great game to look forward to. I was really looking forward to the Boxing Day game, too because I know what sort of team they can be.

“We’re going to Bradford where they have brilliant home support. We’ve got a fantastic following with us as well, so it makes for a really good atmosphere, and we’ve got to make sure we put on a performance.

“I’ve looked at their surface over the last few games and it doesn’t look great, and the weather forecast isn’t great either; it could be a tricky pitch to play on.

“If it’s a scrap and a ‘turn-em-round’ and work them and press them {sort of game) and that gets us a result, brilliant.

“If, in the ideal world, we can play some football, that will be better, but I’ll just want a result this weekend.

“We need to make sure we turn it into a five-point difference and not have them with a plus one.”

It will be only 26 days since Carlisle won the Brunton Park encounter 1-0 on Boxing Day - but Simpson is anticipating a different City side this time after their transfer-window activity.

“We made changes in the game against Bradford to try and get a grip into it,” he added. “There are things I will look at from there.

But because of the changes (they’ve made), the left-back (Matty) Foulds has gone to Harrogate, (Tolaji) Bola’s come in, Adam Clayton’s signed, does he come straight into the team?

“(Jamie) Walker got sent off last weekend so he’s not available. Andy Cook’s not been starting recently, they’ve taken the young lad (Dara) Costelloe on loan, and he’s playing up front with a different striker to Cook.

“There’s all sort of things that could happen. One thing I do know is what we want to do, how we’re going to play and we’ve got to make sure that’s enough to get the result.”

Simpson, who could include striker Joe Garner after his capture from Fleetwood, was impressed with City snapping up Clayton.

“He’s a really good footballer. It’ll be interesting to see where he plays, whether they change the shape because of him coming in, because (Richie) Smallwood’s a regular starter and they’re similar types of player.

“This is where it pleases me that we tend to go 90 per cent about us and 10 per cent the opposition.

“We don’t need to change anything. We can go about it how we think is the right way and hope we get a result.”