CARLING CUP

Last updated : 26 October 2004 By editor

For those whose eyes are fixed on the Premiership firmament, events at the Alexandra Stadium tonight may be little more than a footnote. For statistics buffs, or the game's incurable romantics, Crewe Alexandra taking on Manchester United is football's equivalent of Halley's Comet. The sides, just 35 miles but worlds apart, have met only four times in the League. The last encounter was in 1895 - when United were plain old Newton Heath. "I remember it well," laughs Crewe's manager, Dario Gradi, before adding, just in case there was any doubt, "even I wasn't here then."

Rather more significantly, the Carling Cup third-round meeting is the first time Gradi, the Football League's longest-serving manager at 21 years and five months, has crossed paths with the man second in the endurance stakes: Sir Alex Ferguson, nearly three-and-a half years behind in the queue for a gold watch.

Gradi admits the game will be "a bit of a relief from the pressure of having to get points".

He added: "We're playing Manchester United in the cup. That's exciting - we're playing them at home, which is even more exciting because the place will be full and it'll be a terrific atmosphere, which is in stark contrast to my early days here."

Eight goals shipped against Wigan and Reading is hardly ideal preparation for what he acknowledges is the biggest game of his Crewe tenancy. But as he has tried to do for two decades plus, he will enjoy the game. United were beaten by Championship opposition in the shape of West Bromwich in last year's fourth round, and Ferguson's Carling Cup habit of keeping his powder dry gives Crewe a whiff of a chance.

"We're not bothering to try to spy on them, because we haven't got a clue what their team will be," he concludes.

Mind games, anyone?