United’s last meeting with the Alex [Gresty Road in February] turned out to be a rather feisty affair with an early sending off for Jamie Devitt compounded by strong words from both dugouts as the teams battled hard to take the points.
But Carlisle boss Steven Pressley revealed this week that his relationship with Crewe gaffer David Artell is a good one, with the pair currently doing a course together as well as keeping in regular contact.
“The game at Crewe last year was feisty, I’ll grant you that,” he said. “The thing is that we’ve got almost a completely different team now, so I don’t think it will have too much impact or carry the type of grudges that sometimes happen.
“I’m actually on the same diploma course as David and we get on really well.
“Sometimes things happen in the dugouts, that’s football, and as soon as the game finishes that’s it done in my eyes.”
“As I’ve said, it’s a game we’re looking forward to,” he continued. “David has put a good group together and they have a way they like to play. He’s a very good manager and his methodical approach is now paying dividends.
“It’ll be up to us to carry on with the good things we’ve been doing in recent weeks and, if we do that, we know we’re a very hard team to beat.”
