David Artell believes that his Crewe Alexandra side have been unlucky to have been on the receiving end of two 1-0 defeats to Carlisle United this season. The Cumbrians defeated us 1-0 at their Brunton Park home back in late August and they also knocked us out of the FA Cup in November when Ben Garratt’s last minute clearance struck Jamie Devitt and deflected in for the only goal at Gresty Road.

Crewe have a third meeting with Carlisle this evening albeit with the visitors having a new manager in the dugout after Steven Pressley recently replaced the Chesterfield-bound John Sheridan.

Ahead of tonight’s fixture, David told us: “I think it is two good teams and they it edged it twice in the previous games. There hasn’t been an awful lot between the two teams and we have done okay.

“The game will be another difficult game and probably a different one. They are on a good run and their tails will be up but so are we.

“It should be a good football game and it is another chance for us to make that step into the top half of the table.

He added: “I don’t think Steven (Pressley) has changed things too dramatically. He has tweaked one or two things but he hasn’t had to change too much. They are a good side.”