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Port Vale v Crewe
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Kick Off: Monday 25th November at 20:00
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Competition: League Two
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Watch Live: Sky Sports Football
Crewe are expected to have up to 2,000 fans travelling with them when they make the ten-mile trip to Burslem on Monday to face Port Vale in a top of the table League Two clash.
Whatever results occur on Saturday afternoon, Vale can’t be topped in the table. They’ll start Monday’s fixture top of the league and five points ahead of Crewe, who have played a game less.
⭐ Port Vale v Crewe Best Bets
Both teams’ strong starts to the season are built upon strong defensive numbers. Port Vale are 6th in the table for goals conceded per game with 1. Crewe are 2nd with 0.9 goals conceded per game. Port Vale are 4th best in the table for xGA with 14, Crewe are 2nd with 13. Both teams, along with Gillingham, sit top for clean sheets with 7.
Port Vale have given up over 1.0 xG in just 7/16 League Two matches this season. The average xG against them in matches this season is 0.88. Crewe have given up 1.0 xG or more in just 5/15 League Two matches this season. The average xG against them in matches this season is 0.92.
Port Vale’s attacking numbers are slightly better than Crewe’s but not by a margin that suggests this won’t be a closely fought, evenly matched game that goes deep and is likely low scoring.
👕 Port Vale v Crewe Predicted XI
🔍 Port Vale v Crewe Players to Watch
🔴 Filip Marschall
As mentioned, Crewe have strong defensive foundations backed up by great numbers. One difference between the two teams is how much they’ve had to rely on their goalkeepers. Connor Ripley, ever present in the Port Vale goal has only made 1.6 saves per match – the 2nd least in the league behind Walsall’s Tommy Simkin. Whereas Filip Marschall, ever present in the Crewe goal, has made 2.7 saves per match.
Marschall signed for Crewe on loan from Aston Villa in the summer. The stopper was on a renaissance mission to salvage his reputation following a poor loan at MK Dons last season. Marschall has always been highly capable with his feet and has great distribution skills. Up until this season his goalkeeping fundamentals had been rightly questioned but his form has silenced the doubters. He has been a core reason for Crewe’s impressive start to the season.
Marschall can be called upon to keep Crewe in the game going into the second half.
⚪ Jayden Stockley
Despite having young vibrant forward options such as Ruari Paton, Lorent Tolaj and Tony Hackford, Port Vale prefer to use the experienced Jayden Stockley to lead the line. Stockley has become a critical part of Vale’s set-up as the season has progressed with his ability to occupy multiple defenders and be a focal point as well as a goalscoring threat.
Stockley is Port Vale’s joint top scorer with 4, ranks 2nd in the club for assists with 3, has the highest xG with 6.2 and averages 3.3 shots per 90.
Stockley’s style of play makes him second in Port Vale’s list of fouls per 90 with 2.1 and he has more yellow cards than any other Port Vale player this season with 4.
📂 Port Vale v Crewe Cheat Sheet
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💻 Port Vale v Crewe Form and Tactics
Ahead of Saturday’s fixtures, Port Vale are 2nd in the five-game form table having won 4 and lost 1 of their last five matches. Crewe are 3rd in the five-game form table having won 3 and drawn 2 of their last five games. Both teams won to nil in their last match – Port Vale away at Morecambe and Crewe at home to Notts County.
Port Vale are settled in a three-man defence with wing backs and a strong double pivot in midfield. The forward line is more open to change. Mostly Darren Moore will play with Jayden Stockley central and flanked by two wide men but he has also used two split 10s or two up top at times.
Port Vale are strong right through the team. Connor Ripley is reliable in goal. Defenders, Ben Heneghan, Connor Hall and Nathan Smith are monsters in both penalty boxes. Brandon Cover and Connor Grant cover up and down the pitch at wing-back. Understated Ryan Croasdale is a perfect League Two tone-setter in deep midfield. His partner Ethan Chislett can get box-to-box. The striking department of Stockley, Lorent Tolaj, Ruari Paton and Tony Hackford are a great mix of different profiles. Ronan Curtis, Rico Richards and Benicio Baker-Boaitey are a great mix of endeavour and difference makers out wide. The squad is both solid and possesses game-changers that can be used from the bench.
After starting the season mixing 4-2-3-1 and 5-3-2, Lee Bell has become more reliant on the former as his preferred setup as the season has progressed.
Crewe have some standout performers this season too. Marschall in goal has already been mentioned. Mickey Demetriou is a solid, steady, leader at centre back. Wing-back and penalty-taker Ryan Cooney tops the Crewe tally for goals and assists with 7. And Shilow Tracey is having his best goalscoring season of his career with 5 goals to date.
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🏁 Port Vale v Crewe Ref Watch
- Referee: Thomas Kirk
- Averages 5 yellow cards per game in 10 matches officiated this season.
- Is yet to give a red card this season.
- Has awarded two penalties in the 10 matches he’s refereed this season.
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* I recommend waiting for confirmed team line-ups before placing any bets.
* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.
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