In a match that could have a major impact on the race for promotion in League Two, Crewe Alexandra are set to host AFC Wimbledon at Mornflake Stadium on Tuesday.
The Railwaymen will need to get Saturday's defeat out of their minds if they are to bounce back in midweek, while the Dons are on a five-game unbeaten run ahead of the high-profile clash.
Match preview
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Lee Bell's Crewe were stunned last time out when they were beaten 1-0 by Accrington Stanley, and were unable to respond to Shaun Whalley's win-worthy first-half strike.
That defeat ended a five-game unbeaten streak - going back to late December's 1-1 draw with MK Dons - in which the Railwaymen had won three and drawn two of their fourth-tier fixtures.
Tuesday's hosts remain second in League Two after 27 matches, though their dreams of automatic promotion are at risk given they are now level on points with third-placed Doncaster Rovers and are within two points of all of the clubs in the playoff spots.
However, Crewe have made Mornflake Stadium a fortress this season, and their shock defeat on Saturday was just their first home loss in the league since their opening home game of the campaign, having won seven and drawn four in the interim.
This week, Bell's side will set out to prove that their loss was merely a blip on the way to promotion by picking up all three points against their rivals, and the support of their home crowd will be crucial in securing an important victory.
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Meanwhile, Johnnie Jackson's Wimbledon maintained their ongoing lossless run on Saturday with a 0-0 draw on the road to MK Dons.
That being said, the Dons were on a three-game winning streak prior to that clash, and will be severely disappointed to have put in such a poor performance against a side that they had beaten three times in 2024.
Tuesday's visitors are currently fifth in the table, and the 44 points they have earned from their 25 games means they are just two points behind their hosts in the automatic promotion spots with two games in hand.
On the road in League Two, Jackson's side have won four of their last six matches, drawing one and losing the other, and this impressive form should give them some confidence ahead of this week's 'six-pointer'.
It is also notable that Wimbledon have conceded just 19 league goals this term, giving them the best defensive record in the division by some distance, and such defensive resilience could give them the edge in Tuesday's high stakes clash.
Team News
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Crewe midfielder Jack Powell put pen to paper on a new 18-month deal last Thursday, and will be looking to repay the club's faith in him with a strong performance this week.
With this in mind, boss Bell is likely to start Powell alongside Matus Holicek and Max Sanders in the centre of the park once again.
Elsewhere, Omar Bogle and Christopher Long will lead the forward line as they are tasked with the challenge of trying to break down the division's best defence.
Wimbledon will be missing right-sided defender Joe Lewis once again after he picked up another injury against MK Dons, so expect Isaac Ogundere to feature in the backline alongside Sam Hutchinson and Ryan Johnson.
Matthew Stevens and Josh Kelly will be supporting striker Omar Bugiel as the trio look to fire the Dons into the automatic promotion places on Tuesday.
Crewe Alexandra possible starting lineup:
Marschall; Cooney, Knight-Lebel, Demetriou, Williams, Conway; Holicek, Sanders, Powell; Bogle, Long
AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:
Goodman; Ogundere, Hutchinson, Johnson; Neufville, Smith, Reeves, Tilley; Stevens, Bugiel, Kelly
We say: Crewe Alexandra 0-1 AFC Wimbledon
Both sides will be desperate to avoid defeat in this promotion 'six-pointer', so do not expect much to separate the sides.
However, Wimbledon's impressive defensive record may see them come out on top if they can manage to keep a clean sheet on Tuesday.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
