FOCUS ON: Crewe Alexandra
As Leeds United continue to hunt for their first win under Gary McAllister, we give you the lowdown on Saturday's opponents, Crewe Alexandra.
The Gaffer
Steve Holland. A rookie in managerial terms, Holland is learning quickly about the pressures of management in general and at Crewe Alexandra in particular. He was promoted from the position of academy coach to that of first-team coach last summer, allowing the long-serving Dario Gradi to take an upstairs role as technical director, and this season is descending into a fierce struggle against relegation. Crewe are a fraction clear of the bottom four places in League One, and their position would be more worrying had Luton and Bournemouth not been deducted 10 points. Holland is operating on an extremely small budget, as managers of Crewe tend to, and survival this season would be a satisfactory achievement.
The Danger
Tom Pope. Not a player that Gary McAllister will know too much about, Pope has appeared off the ever-reliable production line at Gresty Road. The young striker made his senior debut last season and, having played a sporadic role during the first half of this term, he has come into a bit of form since the turn of the year. Used largely as a substitute, his goal earned Crewe a 2-2 draw with Swansea City earlier this month, and he has found the net three times in his last six appearances. The 22-year-old will be the trick up Holland's sleeve if the Alex remain in contention until the latter stages of tomorrow's match.
The Form
If Doncaster Rovers were a team in form, Crewe's demeanour could not be more different. Their 1-0 victory away to Leyton Orient 10 days ago brought an end to their sequence of seven matches without a win, a run which was started with their defeat by Leeds at Gresty Road on January 14. Crewe were always likely to be in or around the relegation places this season, and their 32 games so far have yielded only 34 points. Their most recent home win came against Tranmere on January 1, and they have won two of their last 17 matches in all competitions. Like Leeds, they were struck with a postponement last weekend when their home clash with Carlisle United fell victim to a frozen pitch.
The Record
Crewe would not claim to be long-term peers of Leeds United's, and the clubs have generally operated at different ends of football's professional spectrum. The game between the sides at Gresty Road last month was their sixth in total, all of which have been staged in the modern era. Their first clash came in the FA Cup in 1994, and a further 10 years passed before the teams met in a league fixture. But Crewe have held their own against Leeds, winning 2-0 at Elland Road in 2005 and 1-0 in Cheshire the following season. They could not avoid a 1-0 defeat last month, however, and the victory was United's only success to date at Gresty Road.
The Odds
Leeds are 8-15 favourites with William Hill tomorrow, and the bookmakers have plenty of faith in the hosts. Crewe are a 9-2 shot, and the draw stands at a lengthy 5-2.
The Whistler
Mike Pike. The Cumbrian official has been a Football League referee for the best part of a decade, though strangely he did not take charge of his first fixture this season until September 29. He has refereed only 17 games in total, producing 32 yellow cards and one red, and he has a tendency to keep clear of the limelight. He was the man in the middle for United's clash with Coventry City on New Year's Day in 2007.
YEP
