Crewe Alexandra manager David Artell has told crewealex.net that he will encourage his players to get on the ball during this weekend’s fiercely contested local derby.

Crewe host the Valiants at the Alexandra Stadium and Artell says it will be important for his players to show courage in possession.

Ahead of this weekend’s first derby clash, Artell said: “There is an edge to this game because of the history and the rivalry. I want our fans to go into work on Monday with the bragging rights. That is what it is about and it isn’t like any other normal game.

“It is still three points up for grabs but we know what it means to the fans. We want to win every game, regardless of it being Port Vale, Cheltenham last week, Notts County or City in the cup, we want to win.

“We have to show that courage to play. We want to play our football. We didn’t do that enough last weekend at Cheltenham. We want to impose our game on them and show our quality on the ball.

“We have it every week, where a team will think they have to get in our faces and stop us playing football. It is a broken record to us if I’m honest. It is nothing we have not had to deal with most weeks in this league.

“These types of games is what Saturday afternoons are all about and for me, Crewe Vs Port Vale is the best game in League Two.”