League 2 
Gresty Road gears up for a clash steeped in both history and contrasting fortunes as Crewe Alexandra hosts Morecambe this weekend. While they may not have met frequently in recent years, the rivalry between these two sides holds significant weight, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the match.
Crewe Alexandra currently sits comfortably in 3rd place, firmly in the mix for automatic promotion. Their recent form has been impressive, with manager Lee Bell instilling a winning mentality and a dynamic attacking style.
In their last outing, they secured a convincing 3-1 victory over Notts County, with Mickey Demetriou, Elliott Nevitt, and Josh Austerfield finding the net.
Morecambe, on the other hand, finds itself nestled in 11th place. While their season has been inconsistent, they possess the potential to cause problems for any team on their day.Their most recent fixture ended in a 1-1 draw against Grimsby Town, with Jordan Slew scoring the equalizer for the Shrimps.
Historically, Crewe has dominated the head-to-head record, claiming 18 victories compared to Morecambe's 5 in their 31 meetings. The last encounter, back in December 2021, saw Crewe triumph 2-1 at Mazuma Stadium.
While the frequency of meetings between Crewe and Morecambe has decreased in recent years, the rivalry between these two Lancashire sides dates back to the early 1920s. Their first encounter, played in the North-West Triangle League in 1921, saw Crewe emerge victorious with a 2-1 scoreline.
Throughout the years, the two teams have crossed paths in various competitions, including the Third Division North, League Two, and the FA Cup. Their matches have often been filled with tension and drama, with a fair share of close encounters and last-minute goals.
Despite the historical advantage and current form, this match is likely to be a close contest. Crewe's home advantage and attacking firepower could see them edge out a narrow victory, although Morecambe's fighting spirit and potential for counter-attacks cannot be ignored.
Crewe are heavily favoured ahead of this weekend’s clash and are currency priced @ ⅚, whilst an away win for Morecambe is prived @ 29/10 and a draw is @ 13/5.
We are backing Crewe to win and under 2.5 goals because the Railwaymen have made a habit of winning low-scoring games in recent weeks. Three of their last five games have seen less than 2.5 goals, of which they have won two.