Crewe Alexandra host newly-relegated Plymouth Argyle in their return to League Two after a dreadful 2018/19 campaign in League One.
Mixed pre-seasons
Crewe Alexandra have played seven games across pre-season, winning six and losing one. Whilst the majority of Crewe's pre-season games were played against lower league opposition, The Railwaymen did manage to dispatch Premier League outfit Burnley 1-0 at Gresty Road.
Plymouth Argyle, on the other hand, have had a rather mixed pre-season, playing only four matches and losing three of them. Despite picking up losses to non-league opponents Truro City and Torquay United, Plymouth managed to beat league one opposition AFC Wimbledon 2-0.
The two sides haven't met in league competition since the 2016/17 season. During that season Plymouth were to able to take all six points away from Crewe, winning both matches 2-1.
Despite it being only the first game of the season, this match has the potential to set up a successful campaign for either team.
Crewe were one of the best teams at home last season within League Two, so a win here for Plymouth would lay down a real statement of intent for this upcoming season. A win here for Crewe could also have a very similar effect.
Team News
Predicted Crewe XI (4-3-3): Jaaskelainen, Ng, Nolan, Sass- Davies, Pickering, Jones, Wintle, Lowery, Powell, Porter, Kirk.
With new signing Olly Lancashire and Nicky Hunt injured for Saturday's game, it looks likely that youngster Billy Sass-Davies will step in at centre half. The rest of the squad remains very similar to the side that finished last season, with the only likely change been new signing Daniel Powell on the right-hand side of a front three.
Predicted Bury XI (3-4-1-2): Palmer, Sawyer, Canavan, Aimson, Riley, Edwards, Sarcevic, McFadzean, Mayor, Taylor, Telford.
Aimson, Taylor and Telford are all expected to return from injury for the match, but Aimson could be touch and go up until kick-off.
Manager Ryan Lowe is likely to set up his squad very similarly to his Bury side that achieved promotion from this division last season, with the 3-4-1-2 formation and Mayor through the middle.
Key Clash
Danny Mayor Vs Charlie Kirk:
Both forward players have the ability to change games, and thus the result could depend on which player asserts themselves more on the Gresty Road pitch.
Last season for Bury Mayor registered eight goals and 11 assists and was one of the key reasons why Ryan Lowe was able to lead Bury to promotion. With Mayor already experienced in Lowe's system, if he plays well, it's likely that Bury will also succeed.
Meanwhile, Charlie Kirk has had a very promising pre-season, scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory against National League side Wrexham. Last season in League Two Kirk registered 11 goals and seven assists, and it's looking likely that this season those numbers will only go up.
What The Managers Have Said
When speaking to the Crewe Alex website, Dave Artell appeared to play down the importance of the first match when he said this about the visit of Plymouth to Gresty Road:
"There is always a freak result on the opening day. We scored six against Morecambe last season and it was a great start but that is it all it was.
"It was three points closer to our objective and overall we didn’t quite make it. The objective is always to win every game and tomorrow against Plymouth will be no different. The first game is no greater than the 5th game, 10th game or 25th game.”
Before the Game, Ryan Lowe was questioned by Plymouth's website about the pressure of coming into this season as promotion favourites, he had this to say:
"It’s going to be like that, isn’t it? When you’re managing Argyle, the standards and expectations are massive.
"We’ll relish it. We know what’s expected; we’ve got 46 games and we’ll break the season down in quarters, and we’ll see where we are.”