All eyes will be on Group B in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday as League Two rivals Crewe Alexandra and Wrexham lock horns at Gresty Road.
As we head into Matchday 2, Wrexham sit alongside Port Vale at the top of Group B, while Crewe find themselves at the bottom of the standings with Newcastle United U21.
We’ll use yesterday as fuel. Onto the next one. 👊#CreweAlex pic.twitter.com/enNYTpmAzg— Crewe Alexandra (@crewealexfc) October 8, 2023
We’ll use yesterday as fuel. Onto the next one. 👊#CreweAlex pic.twitter.com/enNYTpmAzg
Can the hosts pick up their first EFL Trophy victory of the season? Or will the visitors maintain their 100% record in the competition?
Crewe head into Tuesday’s clash on the back of a 4-2 thrashing at the hands of Salford City, despite the best efforts of Courtney Baker-Richardson, who bagged a brace on Saturday.
As a result, the Alex find themselves sixth in the League Two table – level with seventh-placed Wrexham on 20 points after 12 matches.
Not only have Crewe lost just two of their 12 league outings this season, but they have also netted 28 goals, making them the top scorers in the division.
That said, the Alex started their EFL Trophy campaign with a 1-0 defeat to Port Vale, so they will be eager to bounce back on Tuesday.
On the flip side, Wrexham claimed a 1-0 victory over Crawley Town last time out, with Ollie Palmer scoring the only goal of the game on 13 minutes.
Funnily enough, the Red Dragons now have an identical league record to Crewe, as both teams have registered five wins, five draws and two losses this term.
It is also worth noting that Wrexham have lost just one of their previous eight games across all competitions, picking up five wins and two draws in the process.
Having kicked off their EFL Trophy campaign with a 1-0 victory over Newcastle U21, the Red Dragons will be confident of extending their winning record in the competition.
Head-to-head: Crewe and Wrexham played out a thrilling 3-3 draw in the league on September 30, meaning Tuesday’s clash should be an eventful affair.
Consequently, Crewe are now enjoying a seven-game unbeaten streak against Wrexham, having picked up four wins and three draws since their last loss in this fixture.
Team news: Chris Long has scored six goals for Crewe this season, while Mickey Demetriou has contributed four goals and three assists.
Wrexham striker Paul Mullin returned from injury to score twice against Crewe last month, with Elliot Lee netting seven goals across all competitions this term.
Given that Crewe and Wrexham shared the spoils in a six-goal thriller last month, Tuesday’s showdown looks destined to be another entertaining encounter.
Forebet predicts that Crewe and Wrexham will play out a high-scoring draw, with both teams netting over 1.5 goals.