We didn't want to go at Christmas

Manager Steve Cotterill was concerned that on the original date we were perhaps not playing the Railwaymen at the right time. They had won four and drawn two of their previous games, they had scored thirteen goals in those games and leading scorer Dean Ashton had scored eight of them.

It’s not quite the same now, although they haven’t failed to score in a league game since November, they haven’t won any of their last five games and there’s no Dean Ashton any longer.

He moved on to Norwich City when the transfer window opened in January for £3 million and as yet Dario G hasn’t spent any of that money in bringing in any replacements.

They sat above us on goal difference on Boxing Day morning, now they are behind us with two points less and we have a game in hand.

It will still be a tough game though and we know to our cost that Dario G’s sides can suddenly produce a good performance out of nowhere and they will be very confident of scoring. They have though now the worst defensive record in the division alongside Coventry after conceding another three on Saturday in their home defeat against Wigan.

Kenny Lunt complained about the fans after that game and insisted that they get behind the players, apparently they have been getting some stick at home games recently.

Click HERE to see all Crewe’s results this season.

Dario G might not have former North Ender and former Burnley target Colin Murdock available tonight. He joined Alex in January but has been out injured and was complaining of stiffness after the Wigan game. If he doesn’t make it then Richard Walker will play, returning from a calf injury.

Adie Moses and Billy Jones are ruled out although Luke Varney is expected to return after being ruled out with a dead leg on Saturday.

Crewe will probably line up: Clayton Ince, Chris McCready, Stephen Foster, Colin Murdock, Anthony Tonkin, Kenny Lunt, Neil Sorvel, Lee Bell, David Vaughan, Luke Varney, Andy White. Subs from: Stuart Tomlinson, Justin Cochrane, Steve Jones, Michael Higdon, Mark Rivers, Richard Walker, Ben Williams, Ben Rix.

Click HERE to see Crewe’s current squad.

There’ll be a new face in the Burnley squad tonight with Pete Whittingham having signed from Aston Villa on loan. He might not have his Villa team mate there with Gary Cahill rated doubtful after picking up an injury on Saturday.

If, as expected, Cahill misses out, it will mean captain Frank Sinclair returning from suspension and going straight into the centre of defence.

That could be the only change, I think Whittingham will be on the bench having just arrived at the club and I suspect we will line up:

Brian Jensen, Michael Duff, Frank Sinclair, John McGreal, Mo Camara, John Oster, Tony Grant, Micah Hyde, Jean-Louis Valois, Ian Moore, Graham Branch. Subs: Danny Coyne, Lee Roche, Pete Whittingham, Joel Pilkington, Matt O’Neill.

Last time we met at Crewe, on Boxing Day last year, we came home with nothing other than a 3-1 defeat with Robbie Blake scoring our goal from the penalty spot.

It was our third successive defeat and Stan Ternent’s only change at the back after conceding five at Preston was to move Graham Branch back to centre half for the first time in two months as a replacement for David May.

It didn’t work and it was another complete shambles at the back, one of the goals we conceded has been used by Sky Bet this season prior to many Football League programmes.

There was no doubt that people there that day knew for sure that were going to face a relegation battle, and there were angry scenes in the away stand at the final whistle as supporters disagreed on the reasons for the poor state of the side.

Hopefully it will be somewhat better this time round.

The teams last year were,

Crewe: Clayton Ince, Billy Jones, Steve Foster, David Wright, Anthony Tonkin, Luke Varney (Gary Roberts 83), Michael Higdon, Kenny Lunt, Justin Cochrane (James Robinson 56), Steve Jones, Dean Ashton. Subs not used: Ademola Bankole, Paul Edwards, Allan Smart.

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Dean West (Mark McGregor 71), Graham Branch, Arthur Gnohere, Mo Camara, Paul Weller, Richard Chaplow (Jay McEveley 59), Tony Grant, Glen Little (Luke Chadwick 16), Robbie Blake, Ian Moore. Subs not used: Lee Roche, Matt O’Neill.