Crewe boss David Artell says that this weekend’s opponents, Portsmouth, are a big club steeped in proud tradition.

The Alex would have faced the entire top seven clubs after Saturday’s fixture at Fratton Park and Artell believes that we can raise our game once again to cause another surprise in League One.

The Alex will be aiming to get their third win in a week, having already beaten league leaders Peterborough and Oxford United on Tuesday night.

Artell says it will be another tough away assignment, but that his players won’t be fazed by the task ahead.

He told crewealex.net: “There is a real commitment and desire to get results and the players won’t be fazed. They don’t mind if they are playing the team at the top of the league or the team that lost last season’s play-off final.

“They face another club in Portsmouth, who have a great history and will be one of the favourites for promotion. That is another challenge for our players and they will be relishing it.

“If we can go there and get a result then that would round off an excellent week for us.

“I don’t know if them not having any fans is helping them or hampering them. I know they have had better results away from home but we have been to Fratton Park before and everyone knows that their fans are passionate and make a lot of noise for them.

“That type of thing can work both ways. If we went there and they hadn’t scored before half-time or an hour and we managed to score then perhaps they would be under more pressure and it could suit us more. You just don’t know.

The boss added: “I don’t think the home and away thing at the moment without any fans is as black and white as it seems. It is what it is and whilst we don’t like it, it’s something that we had to get used to over the last few months.”