Crewe Alexandra host Carlisle United as part of their festive trio of fixtures on Thursday night at the Mornflake Stadium (7pm).
Lee Bell’s side will aim to get back to winning ways following their Boxing Day defeat against Stockport County, where the Alex fell to a 3-0 loss.
The Opposition
Carlisle currently lie fourth in League Two, seven points adrift the automatic play-off spot approaching the halfway mark this season.
The Cumbrian side were 1-0 winners on Boxing Day against Bradford City, with Paul Huntington netting the winner.
The Gaffer
Paul Simpson took charge of The Cumbrians for his second spell in February 2022, guiding them from 23rd to safety from the drop with a few games to spare.
The ex-Manchester City player has had a successful career in management, taking Carlisle from the National League to League One, as well as leading England Under-20s to World Cup glory in 2017, beating Venezuela 1-0 in the final.
Team News
Crewe Alexandra will await to see if Kelvin Mellor is in contention to feature on Thursday night after missing out on the Boxing Day clash against Stockport. Christopher Long, Courtney Baker-Richardson and Callum Ainley remain sidelined.
Carlisle remain without Ryan Edmondson, Omari Patrick, Ben Barclay for the trip to the Mornflake Stadium, but Joel Senior could return to the matchday squad after missing out on Boxing Day.
Head-to-Head
Crewe have won 39 of the 94 fixtures contested between both clubs, with Carlisle victorious on 40 occasions.
Earlier on this season, both sides played out a stalemate at Brunton Park, with neither team able to convert their chances.
Officials
Andy Haines will take charge of the Thursday night fixture, having last officiated the Railwaymen in March 2022, a 3-1 home defeat at the hands of Wycombe Wanderers.
He will be assisted by Kevin Morris and Jonathon Bickerdike, with Ruebyn Ricardo appointed as fourth official.
Elsewhere in League Two
Thursday: Barrow v Tranmere Rovers; Bradford City v Harrogate Town; Colchester United v AFC Wimbledon; Doncaster Rovers v Rochdale; Grimsby Town v Salford City; Hartlepool United v Mansfield Town; Northampton Town v Swindon Town; Sutton United v Gillingham; Walsall v Stockport County.
Friday: Newport County v Leyton Orient; Stevenage v Crawley Town.
Tickets
| Boughey Stand | Rhino Safety Stand | Andrew Connolly Financial Planning Stand | |
| Adult | £25 (£21) | £23 (£20) | £23 (£20) |
| Senior (60+) | £19 (£16) | £17.50 (£15) | £17.50 (£15) |
| 17-19 Years | (£14.50) | (£13.50) | (£13.50) |
| Student | (£12.50) | (£12.50) | (£12.50) |
| 12-16 Years | £12 (£10) | £10 (£9.50) | £10 (£9.50) |
| Under 11 | £7.50 (£6) | £6.50 (£5.50) | £6.50 (£5.50) |
| Disabled | £19 (£16) | £17.50 (£15) | £17.50 (£15) |
| Family Ticket | N/A | N/A | £23.00* |
Can't Make The Game?
Crewe fans in the UK and around the world can watch the clash with Newport live on iFollow.
An iFollow match pass for Crewe fixtures includes graphics and replays – all for just £10 (or local equivalent).
The action is complemented by commentary from the BBC Radio Stoke team of Graham McGarry and Steve Jones.
Click here to secure your iFollow match pass today and make sure you don’t miss a minute of the contest.
Alternatively, you can listen to LIVE commentary on iFollow - CLICK HERE to purchase an Audio Match Pass for just £2.50!