Wrexham’s EFL Trophy run continues this week with a quarter-final tie against Bolton Wanderers, and we’ve had a go at predicted how Phil Parkinson will set up for the game.
Last time out, Wrexham thrashed League Two outfit Port Vale 4-1 away from home, with plenty of talking points to take from the game.
The fixture, which had been mooted as a potential distraction from Wrexham’s promotion push, but actually ended up being a really positive night, with lots of reasons to be happy as a Red Dragons fan.
Phil Parkinson put faith in a lot of his fringe players for the Port Vale game, and we expect much of the same on Tuesday night.
Wrexham team and injury news ahead of EFL Trophy quarter-final
The Wrexham squad is actually in a great place right now, with barely any injuries impacting Parkinson’s plans for the Bolton game.
Goalkeeper Callum Burton is still unavailable long-term, while Will Boyle and Luke Bolton continue to struggle for sharpness.
The main blow for Parkinson is the injury to Paul Mullin, with a ‘minor’ problem keeping the striker on the sidelines. However, it is not thought to be anything too serious or long-lasting.
Wrexham predicted XI vs Bolton – fringe players get chance to shine again
Parkinson put trust in a number of fringe players against Port Vale, and the risk paid dividends, with goals for Andy Cannon, Mo Faal, and youngster Harry Ashfield making it a night to remember.
We expect the Wrexham manager to take a similar approach this time, too. However, with Bolton posing a greater threat than Port Vale, we may see a couple of the more established, experienced Red Dragons stars entering the fray from the start.
Arthur Okonkwo should retain his place in goal as he looks to rebuild his confidence. Meanwhile, in front of him, Max Cleworth will continue to be the leading man in defence, with Dan Scarr getting another outing, and Lewis Brunt having the opportunity to sharpen up post-injury.
In midfield, Ryan Longman’s reward for a fine performance against Port Vale will be another start, while Jacob Mendy will come in on the left in place of Sebastian Revan. A central three of Cannon, Elliot Lee, and George Dobson should be the go-to option for Parkinson.
Up top, Parkinson may well be tempted to stick with the pairing of Faal and Ashfield, but we suspect he will want a little more pedigree to take on Bolton. Ollie Palmer was retained by Wrexham in January, and this could be one of the few starts he will make in the rest of the campaign.
Wrexham predicted XI vs Bolton:
Arthur Okonkwo; Max Cleworth, Dan Scarr, Lewis Brunt; Ryan Longman, Andy Cannon, Elliot Lee, George Dobson, Jacob Mendy; Ollie Palmer, Mo Faal