Portsmouth v Crewe Alexandra: team news, predicted line-ups, what's been said in build-up, referee, form guide and key stats

Here’s all you need to know ahead of kick-off (7.45pm).

Pompey team news

Pompey go into a third successive game with only 13 senior outfit players to choose from.

Reeco Hackett was the latest to join the long-list of injury woes for Danny Cowley after he sustained knee ligament damage against Fleetwood last Saturday.

The winger joins Kieron Freeman (ankle), Shaun Williams (back) and Michael Jacobs (knee) on the treatment table.

Attacking-midfielder Jacobs is closing in on a first-team return – but the trip to Crewe could potentially come too soon.

Ronan Curtis returns from his two-match suspension, but Marcus Harness will serve the first of his three-game ban after being sent off against Accrington.

Predicted XI: Gavin Bazunu, Hayden Carter, Sean Raggett, Clark Robertson, Mahlon Romeo, Joe Morrell, Louis Thompson, Denver Hume, Ronan Curtis, Aiden O'Brien, George Hirst. Subs: Ollie Webber, Connor Ogilvie, Liam Vincent, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Jay Mingi, Harry Jewitt-White, Tyler Walker.

Crewe Alexandra team news

January Pompey target Tariq Uwakwe will miss the visit of his potential admirers.

The Chelsea loanee is facing a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury against Oxford United a fortnight ago.

The midfielder will be joined by Arsenal loanee Ryan Alebiosu (back), Rio Adebisi (foot) and defender Billy Sass-Davies (calf) on the treatment table.

Star man Mikael Mandron will also miss out with a knee injury, while the game will come too soon for Manchester City loanee Ben Knight and Scott Kashket.

Predicted line-up: Dave Richards, Travis Johnson, Connor O'Riordan, Luke Offord, Josh Lundstrum, Tom Lowery, Dan Ageyi, Regan Griffiths, Oliver Finney, Chris Long and Chris Porter. Subs: William Jaaskelainen, Sean Lawton, Tyreece Onyeka, Rekeem Harper, Luke Murphy, Connor Salisbury and Bassala Sambou.

Predicted line-up:

What’s been said

Danny Cowley

‘We anticipate a really tough game against Crewe. We have a lot of respect for them as a football club.

‘David Artell has done a wonderful job there and has probably been a victim of his own success.

‘We are under no illusions that it will be an incredibly tough game for us tomorrow evening.

‘We all need to be at our very best if we want to get on the right side of a victory tomorrow.’

David Artell

‘I think Portsmouth are in a transition themselves.

‘They have a manager that's been there 12 months, they haven’t got as much resources as others but they’re trying to tamp down their authority on the game and the way they play.

‘I'm sure they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

The last time they came here they constantly pressed us and I'm sure it won’t be too dissimilar so we have to know what’s coming.’

Matchday odds (Bet365)

Pompey: 4/5

1-0 13/2, 2-0 7/1, 2-1 15/2, 3-0 14/1, 3-1 14/1, 3-2 28/1

Crewe Alexandra: 15/4

1-0 11/1, 2-0 22/1, 2-1 14/1, 3-0 50/1, 3-1 40/1, 3-2 40/1

Draw: 5/2

0-0 8/1, 1-1 11/2, 2-2 16/1, 3-3 50/1

Referee

Andrew Kitchen

Key Stats (All competitions)

Pompey

Record this season: P42 W18 D9 L15

League Position: 10th (51 points)

Top goalscorer: Marcus Harness (11)

Most Assists: Ronan Curtis (7)

Discipline: 65 yellow cards, 3 red card

Crewe Alexandra

Record this season: P38 W7 D7 L24

League Position: 24th (25 points)

Top goalscorer: Chris Porter and Chris Long (6)

Most Assists: Chris Porter (4)

Discipline: 71 yellow cards, 3 red cards

Form guide

Pompey

W 4-0 Accrington (H) – League One

W 3-2 Oxford United (H) – League One

D 3-3 Fleetwood (H) – League One

W 2-1 Shrewsbury (A) – League One

W 4-0 Doncaster Rovers (H) – League One

Crewe Alexandra

L 3-1 Wycombe (H) – League One

W 2-1 Cheltenham (A) – League One

L 1-0 Oxford United (H) – League One

L 2-0 Wigan (A) – League One

L 4-1 Accrington (A) – League One

Other fixtures (7.45pm kick off unless stated)

Ipswich Town v Lincoln City, MK Dons v Cheltenham Town, Plymouth Argyle v AFC Wimbledon, Sunderland v Fleetwood Town, Bolton Wanderers v Morecambe (8pm KO).