It feels like a lifetime ago that Wrexham were last in action in the league, but they’re back with a League One clash against Northampton Town this weekend, and we’ve put together a predicted XI for the game.
Wrexham have spent the last two weeks competing in the EFL Trophy, rather successfully we should add, with wins over Port Vale and Bolton putting them one game away from a trip to Wembley.
The EFL Trophy has been a welcome distraction for the Red Dragons, who were reeling after a dismal 3-2 defeat to Stevenage saw Wrexham’s unbeaten record at the Racecourse Ground come to an end.
Next up, Wrexham will travel to Northampton Town looking to secure a vital three points in the League One promotion race and put pressure on Wycombe Wanderers above them.
Wrexham team and injury news ahead of Northampton game
After missing the last few games with injury, Paul Mullin could and should be ready to return by the weekend. However, we only expect him to make it onto the bench at best, given he will be lacking match sharpness.
Aside from that, Phil Parkinson is blessed with an almost fully-fit Wrexham squad. Long-term absentees Callum Burton, Will Boyle, and Luke Bolton will not be available, though.
There could also be question marks over Elliot Lee, who was in a car crash this week. A statement from the club suggested he did not come to any significant harm, but whether he is in playing condition remains to be seen.
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Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez to start together once more
Parkinson has a lot of decisions to make with his lineup for this upcoming game. The last two fixtures have seen Wrexham experiment with fringe players, but some of them may well have forced their way into the manager’s thinking now.
At the back, we expect Arthur Okonkwo to keep his place in goal, while Max Cleworth and Lewis Brunt, who looked bright on Tuesday, are no-brainers in front of him. The central defensive role is up for grabs, though, and we reckon a recall for Eoghan O’Connell makes the most sense there.
Out wide, we’ve seen Ryan Longman make a bright start to his Wrexham career, but Ryan Barnett is likely to come back into the fold, with skipper James McClean on the other flank.
In the middle, George Dobson and George Evans have looked great in the past two weeks, but it is Andy Cannon, the goalscorer on Tuesday, who will secure a starting spot on Saturday. Ollie Rathbone and Matty James should partner him there, with Elliot Lee not being risked in the starting lineup.
Up top, it feels only appropriate that Parkinson would partner his two latest acquisitions, Sam Smith and Jay Rodriguez. The pair have shown glimpses of what they can do, and they are very likely the two best strikers at the club now, but they need a proper chance to show what they can do.