Nigel Clough's Sheffield United side travel back to Crewe on Saturday afternoon, as he attempts to spark another magic FA Cup run.
The two sides meet in the FA Cup First Round just two weeks after facing each other in the League One clash at Gresty Road. That day, the Blades ran out the winners in a 0-1 away win courtesy of Stefan Scougall's strike, but Jose Baxter earlier missed a penalty and George Ray picked up the first red card of his career after a heated exchange with referee Peter Bankes.
Steve Davis' side will be looking for revenge, and come into the game in good form. That loss to United was their only loss in the last five, having won three and drawn one following a terrible start to their campaign. The Railwaymen still sit bottom, with a poor goal difference, but the FA Cup clash offers his side an attractive distraction. Davis has already seen his side crash out of the Capital One Cup and the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and so it offers him the only real chance of achieving anything from this season, besides trying to keep Crewe's League One status. They managed a solid 1-1 draw away at Crawley in their last match, with youngster George Cooper netting his second professional goal, and they can take great pride in their recent upturn in form.
The Blades, meanwhile, come into the game off the back of a defeat to Barnsley having four consecutive matches beforehand. That was only the second time they have failed to score all season, and they scored twice in every match except against Crewe in October - so Crewe's defence will have to be wary. Clough currently has his side sat in 8th, 10 points off of 1st placed Bristol City, but the FA Cup could be an alternative route to success. Clough guided his side to the Semi Finals of the prestigious ompetition last season, where they eventually fell 5-3 to Hull City at Wembley. but they claimed some memorable scalps along the way. They overcame Aston Villa and Fulham in their own backyard as well as comfortably beating Championship opposition in Nottingham Forest and Charlton, and they will be sure to look back on that before their visit to Gresty Road.
Team news:
Davis will be without two of his five loanees for the visit of Sheffield United, as Febian Brandy misses a re-union with his former employers and Notts County loanee Danny Haynes also misses out. Swansea's Alan Tate, Stoke City's Jamie Ness and Manchester City's Greg Leigh have all been granted permission to play by their clubs, but Tate is unlikely to feature. The experienced central defender is still receiving treatment for a groin injury he sustained in training last week, and is unlikely to recover in time. Brad Inman has returned to training after a head injury, and could return, but Ray will serve the second game of a three match ban. Skipper Matt Tootle is still recovering from an illness with has kept him out for a couple of days, and he will be touch and go for the game but Anthony Grant returns to the matchday squad after serving a one match ban for accumulating five yellow cards.
The visitors are without striker Michael Higdon and on-loan Crystal Palace defender Paddy McCarthy. Higdon faces a number of weeks out of action with a hamstring injury while McCarthy has returned to Palace following the end of his loan spell, but Clough has said a further extension has been agreed in principle. Midfielder James Wallace is doubtful after a niggle he picked up in Saturday's defeat to Barnsley, and Clough has suggested he may rest one or two more who are carrying knocks. The Blades boss could hand young striker Diego De Girolamo with a start after he was recalled from a loan spell at York City, scoring three goals in four league games.
What the managers say:
Crewe Alexandra: Steve Davis says Crewe will want some "payback" when they take on the Blades on Saturday afternoon. "Whoever you draw it doesn't matter, the magic of the cup is still there and we want a bit of payback too after last week," the 49-year-old told the club's official website.
"It's a fantastic day, but we need play the game and not the occasion. It's going to be a tactical battle with Nigel again on Saturday," said Davis, who has been nominated for October's Manager of the Month award. "Neither of us will be too sure how the other will start."
"United made the quarters of the Capital One Cup and the semis of this competition last season, so they have good history. They’ll have huge confidence but we’ll go all out to do what we can to progress. Our record over the last five games is one of the best in the league so, if we can maintain that, we’ll have a good chance." Davis said.
"I want us to give everything we have got, that’s what I expect."
Sheffield United: Nigel Clough believes playing Crewe again so soon after their previous meeting could prove decisive. "It might be a hindrance having played so well there a couple of weeks ago, dominated the game and should have won by more," Clough told BBC Radio Sheffield.
"I think for Crewe it’s a bit of a costless game for them to have a go, league form goes out of the window. It will be a different game on Saturday.
"I would think there is every incentive for them to reverse the result the other week and that will be the main thing for them to do better in the game and to try and knock us out because even at this early stage I think that we are a big scalp."
"Crewe are very adaptable and flexible in terms of their formation so I think we might see something a bit different than we saw in the last game. It's difficult to write Crewe off because they’re young lads, enthusiastic and technically because of the way they’re coach and brought up, they’re very good. We concentrate on ourselves, have one eye on what are Crewe are about, but it’s more about how we approach the game on Saturday."