Steve Davis says first home game will be the perfect measure.

Steve Davis says that Saturday’s first home game of the season against title favourites Portsmouth will be the ideal test. The Alex boss is hoping his side can put down another major marker after starting the new season with back-to-back away wins at Stevenage and then at Sheffield United in the EFL Cup on Tuesday evening.

Paul Cook’s Pompey side have been installed as favourites for promotion from League Two. They lost out to Plymouth Argyle in last season’s play-offs and will be aiming to go up automatically this time around.

Steve wants to use our first home game of the season to measure whereabouts his Crewe team are when it comes to our own challenge.

The Crewe boss told crewealex.net: “It is another good game for us and it will be a good measure for us because Portsmouth is the team that are most fancied to win promotion. It will be a good benchmark for us.

“We have made a good start to the season but they are just small steps. Facing Portsmouth so early in the season will see where we are. They reached the play-offs last season but didn’t go up, so they have to adjust to another year in this league and Paul (Cook) has strengthened the squad and they will be keen to do well.

“It will be a good game against arguably the biggest club in the league. There should be a decent crowd and it is one we are all looking forward to.”