Crewe Alexandra boss David Artell says that our defensive doggedness has to continue if we are to turn things around over the busy Christmas and New Year period. Crewe start of succession of five matches in a short space of time with a home game against Crawley Town this weekend and Artell says that a clean-sheet would be most welcome as we go in search of a first win in four matches.

Crewe have certainly defended our box and set-pieces better since those late goals at Forest Green proved so costly, and Artell is looking for that foundation to continue.

Ahead of the visit of Harry Kewell’s Red Devils, Artell told us: “We have lost the last two games 1-0. Those are the small margins of professional football but I hope I am not tempting fate when I say that I think we have defended better.

“We have defended set-pieces, corners and crosses going into our box a lot better. We made a mistake against Blackburn and we were punished for it and although we sliced a few over our own crossbar in the second half, I don’t think they ripped us apart.

“I want us to be tighter at the back and we can improve but there is a basis there for us to build on. We need that resilience to carry on and give us a strong foundation to go on and win the game. If we can limit the number of chances the opposition get and become more threatening going forward ourselves, then I am sure things will turn for us.

“Whoever plays for us knows what we want to do. We work on it as a squad and they all know their jobs.”