Gillingham will hope to bounce back from midweek defeat as they make the trip up north to take on last season's play-off runner-up, Crewe Alexandra.
Elliott Nevitt is set to return to the Mornflake Stadium after departing Alex to join the Kent side in the summer. The 27-year-old netted on 18 occasions last term as Crewe recorded a top-seven finish.
Lee Bell's Crewe sit 12th in League Two prior to Saturday's clash, losing 2-1 to Newport County last week, which ended a run of four consecutive victories. As a result of AFC Wimbledon's rearranged Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle United, the Railwaymen were without a fixture on Tuesday night, which Bell's side will aim to use to their advantage.
Gillingham faced defeat at home in the league for the first time in 2024 on Tuesday night, being edged out 1-0 by Grimsby Town. Despite the loss, the Gills kept their place at the summit of the League Two standings, one point clear of Notts County.
The head-to-head record between the two sides is nearly even, with the Railwaymen just ahead of their opposite number with 24 wins to Gillingham's 23.
Team news
Crewe will be light for options at the striker position as Kane Hemmings and Omar Bogle are both doubts, with the former being forced off at Newport last week with an ankle injury. Adrien Thibaut could be called upon to lead the line. Midfielder Conor Thomas will be absent from the squad for around three weeks.
Remeao Hutton and Bradley Dack are set to return to the match-day squad after missing out on Tuesday's defeat as a precaution. Conor Masterson (heel) and former Alex loanee Aaron Rowe (hamstring) are progressing but not yet ready to feature.
Likely lineups
Crewe: Marschall; Knight-Lebel, Demetriou, Williams; Cooney, Sanders, Tabiner, Conway; Lankester, Thibaut, Tracey.
Gillingham: Morris; Hutton, Ehmer, Ogie, Clark; McKenzie, Little; Nolan, Lapslie, Clarke; Nevitt.
Key players
Crewe - Jack Lankester
Winger Jack Lankester has enjoyed a good start to life in red and white, registering one goal and two assists following his move from Cambridge United.
Able to play on either flank or behind the striker, the 24-year-old has featured in every league fixture for Lee Bell's side thus far.
The Suffolk-born attacker started off his career with Ipswich Town, where he featured 30 times, before a move to Cambridge, who current Gillingham boss Mark Bonner managed at the time. Lankester went on to appear 123 times for the U's, scoring on eight occasions.
Following Crewe's Wembley defeat to Crawley Town in May, various sources of goals, such as Elliott Nevitt, Courtney Baker-Richardson and Aaron Rowe, departed, but Lankester has shown promising signs of helping to replace the goals they lost over the summer.
Gillingham - Armani Little
One of the signings of the summer in League Two, Armani Little has made a great impression since his switch from AFC Wimbledon, winning 'Man of the Match' in all of Gills' last three home matches.
A tenacious box-to-box midfielder, Little made his name during a productive spell with Torquay United in the National League, where he netted an impressive 19 goals in 90 appearances, before a move to League One Forest Green Rovers.
The transfer to Gloucestershire didn't quite work out, but a loan move to south-west London followed, which later became permanent. Little appeared 62 times across his two spells with the Dons before joining Gillingham in June.
Gills fans have drawn similarities to club legend Andy Hessenthaler in Little's play style; he has been an instrumental part of his team's magnificent start to the season.
Match details
Where is the game being played?
The match is being played at the Mornflake Stadium, home of Crewe Alexandra since 1906.
What time is kick-off?
Kick-off is set for 15:00 BST on Saturday, October 5.
Where can I watch?
The match will not be broadcast live in the United Kingdom, but match highlights will be made available after full-time on both club channels.
