Brabin wants to strengthen his squad before the season starts

Cambridge United manager Gary Brabin has called on his defence to cut out unnecessary mistakes ahead of their friendly with Everton this Saturday.

So far in pre-season, the U's have lost 3-2 to King's Lynn and drawn 1-1 with local rivals Cambridge City.

Brabin told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "The higher you go up the leagues, the more chance your mistakes get punished.

"We're going to be playing against a top-class side and I think it will be an excellent learning curve for us."

Brabin said he was pleased to be facing Everton in his first home match in charge at the Abbey Stadium.

"From a personal point of view I'm happy because it's the team I supported as a boy.

"But we're going to conduct ourselves the way we have done for every friendly, and hopefully we can get another good 90 minutes under our belt."

Having faced two determined sides from lower leagues in their previous friendlies, Brabin insisted it was now his side's turn to raise their game for the visitors.

He said: "I think our lads will be looking forward to it in the same way Cambridge City and King's Lynn were for us.

"We'll be raising our game for Everton, it's just human nature and the way pre-season games usually go."

Meanwhile, Brabin confirmed he was still looking to strengthen his squad, and said: "We definitely need another goalkeeper at the club and we've only got the two out-and-out fowards, so they're two positions we're looking at."