Crewe v Notts County preview

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Anthony Grant will serve a one-game suspension as Crewe welcome Notts County to Gresty Road.

The midfielder was dismissed in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Gillingham after picking up a second yellow card in the game’s dying stages.

His place in the starting XI will likely be given to club captain Abdul Osman while striker Vadaine Oliver, struggling with illness last week, comes into contention after training on Monday.

Defender Harry Davis has been ruled out for the season after dislocating his knee cap, although the club are hopeful he will be back in pre-season training after receiving positive news from a scan. Teenage duo Ryan Colclough (stomach) and Max Clayton (ankle) are still absent.

Notts County are likely to have an unchanged squad for the trip to Crewe.

Dean Leacock returned to the bench against Carlisle on Saturday after a thigh injury and it remains to be seen whether the defender will be recalled at Gresty Road.

Magpies manager Shaun Derry may be tempted to stick with the same players that started the 4-1 home victory against the Cumbrians.

However, Leacock, along with fellow centre-half Manny Smith, midfielder Callum McGregor and forwards Andre Boucaud and Nathan Tyson are option for Derry should he wish to tweak his team on Tuesday night.

Crewe v Notts County preview

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Alan Martin will make his league debut for Crewe.

Martin made his senior debut in last weekend’s 5-0 victory over Hartlepool in the Capital One Cup having deputised for injured number one Steve Phillips during pre-season.

And the 23-year-old is set for an extended run in Steve Davis’ side with Phillips set to undergo knee surgery on Monday that will leave him sidelined for a month.

Utility-man Matt Tootle is out of action with a hip injury and is joined in the treatment room by former Ebbsfleet striker Michael West as the summer signing attempts to get over a heel problem.

Luke Murphy is pushing for a start in midfield having shaken off the effects of a knee complaint. Murphy only featured as a substitute in the last 15 minutes against Pools but successfully turned out for Alex’s reserves against Mansfield in midweek, scoring twice.

Ajay Leitch-Smith opened the scoring against Hartlepool in the cup triumph and, having suffered no reaction to a toe injury, is set to resume in a three-pronged attack with Max Clayton and Mathias Pogba – both of whom bagged braces.

Summer signing Manny Smith is a doubt for Notts County after he was forced off 40 minutes into his Magpies debut against Bradford in the Capital One Cup last Saturday.

The defender had a knee scan earlier in the week and the club are awaiting the results.

Fellow new arrivals Dean Leacock, Enoch Showunmi and Jamal Campbell-Ryce missed the first round defeat to the Bantams. All three were carrying knocks from pre-season but they could now come into contention.

The likes of Julian Kelly, Gary Liddle, Jeff Hughes, Francois Zoko, Hamza Bencherif and Andre Boucaud began on the bench in the cup and all of them will be hoping to start.