Osman looks good for cup clash

Crewe are hopeful Abdul Osman will recover from his ankle injury in time to be part of the squad facing Hartlepool in the Capital One Cup.

The 25-year-old had to be replaced during the club's pre-season fixture with Tamworth after receiving a knock and it was initially thought he would miss the club's cup clash with Hartlepool. Manager Steve Davis expects the bruising on Osman's ankle to have healed up by the weekend and hopes to have a clean bill of health for the beginning of the campaign. Davis told the club's official website: "Abdul took a knock on his ankle and those sort of challenges should be avoided in pre-season, but we are hopeful we will be fine. "We have one or two niggles and bruises, but you expect that in pre-season. That is normal, but we are easing them through and we could have most of them fit for the beginning of the season."