Colchester United keeper Shamal George faces ex-club Tranmere Rovers

Unfortunately, that is where the U's currently find themselves with eight games remaining, sitting eight points above the drop zone.

Yet despite Colchester's predicament, George believes there is a different feeling within the squad, this time around.

George said: "Last year, we had quite a few young players; this year, we have a lot of seniors here who are keeping the boys on their toes.

"Last year, it felt as a group like we were going to get relegated, because the mood wasn't right in the squad.

"This year, it feels like we're playing solidly and everyone's happy.

"No-one's down or thinking the worst.

"We go into every game feeling confident and everyone's happy with how we're performing.

"Last year was the first time in my professional career that I'd been in a relegation battle.

"This year, I wasn't expecting it because of the team that we have but it's happened, so we've just got to deal with it.

"I feel like I've grown since we went through that experience, last season.

"You could say we're a comfortable number of points above the bottom two but we've got to still pick up points and stay switched on and not be sloppy, because we've got some tough games coming back.

"But we feel that we can go and get something from every game, so we've just got to carry that on until the end of the season."

Colchester head into their home clash with high-flying Tranmere Rovers aiming to get back to winning ways, following back-to-back defeats.

Each of those losses came against promotion-chasing sides in Forest Green Rovers and Bristol Rovers and George says the U's are feeling confident, despite the last two results.

"The performances have been really good but we do need to be more clinical, in the final third," said George, who joined Colchester from Liverpool in August, 2020.

"We've been solid defensively but we've conceded two sloppy goals against Bristol Rovers and Forest Green.

"So we just need to cut out those little details preventing us from getting our clean sheets, because we're actually defending really solidly.

"We're getting our changes just as the opposition are, so we can definitely be confident going into the weekend - we just have to get that final detail right.

"In the second half against Forest Green, I didn't think I had one save to make.

"We hit the post and put them under real pressure in the last 20 minutes.

"We've just got to be solid at the back like we have been and put our chances away.

"They are limited against top opposition so we have to be clinical."

George has started Colchester's last six matches after returning from suspension following his red card against Swindon Town.

Prior to that, the 24-year-old had spent two-and-a-half months on the sidelines after breaking his ribs in the U's 1-0 defeat at Stevenage, last November.

"I feel since I came back into the team, the first two games I had to get myself back into it and I needed to be sharper," said George.

"But since then, I've picked up the form that I had before I got injured, so I just want to carry that on until the end of the season.

"At the start of the season, my goal was to keep as many clean sheets as I can.

"I haven't got as many as I'd like to but I feel I've done well this season, so I wouldn't put it down to me not being at the best of my abilities.

"Sometimes it hasn't got right for us; there's been lucky goals for the opposition or some sloppy defending, which happens.

"There's no serious goal now until the end of the season; it's just me playing as well as I can and the team playing as well as we can, so that we can put points on the board."

George has had to battle for his starting place with Sam Hornby, who joined Colchester on loan from League Two rivals Sam Hornby, in January.

"Sam good competition for me," said George.

"He's a good keeper and it keeps me on my toes and performing every week, so I've just got to stay switched on and carry on trying to keep as many clean sheets as I can."

George faces his home town club tomorrow, when Tranmere visit the JobServe Community Stadium.

The 6ft 3in keeper was born in Birkenhead and a few miles away from Prenton Park.

He started out in Tranmere’s youth set-up, before moving to neighbours Liverpool at the age of ten.

George also had a loan spell at Tranmere from Liverpool in the 2018-19 season, playing three times for them during a six-month spell at the League Two club.

George added: "Tranmere was my first proper club as a goalkeeper, before I went to Liverpool.

"Then I went there on loan from Liverpool and it wasn't my best time in my career.

"But I've got nothing against the club; it's a great club and I have all the respect for them."