After a heartbreaking opening day defeat in the Championship, Wrexham will turn their attention swiftly to EFL Cup duty on Tuesday.
Wrexham were denied a historic win in their first game back in the second tier since 1982 on Saturday, with former Premier League outfit Southampton scoring two goals in the final minutes to secure a dramatic 2-1 win.
New signing Josh Windass had given Phil Parkinson’s side an early lead in the game and, despite more than holding their own at St. Mary’s Stadium, they succumbed to two brilliant bits of play from substitute Ryan Manning.
Wrexham don’t have too long to lick their wounds from the defeat as they’re straight back in EFL Cup action on Tuesday evening.
Parkinson’s men are set to play host to fellow Championship outfit Hull City at the Racecourse Ground, in what promises to be a tricky first round tie for the Welsh club.
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Wrexham team news vs Hull City including Kieffer Moore injury blow
Despite the season being just one game old, Parkinson already has plenty of injury concerns to deal with. The most recent of these was the bitter blow to new signing Kieffer Moore during the opening games against Southampton.
Speaking after the defeat, Parkinson confirmed that Moore had suffered ankle ligament damage, with fans now waiting to hear how long said injury will keep the striker out of action.
Moore is actually the second Wrexham player in recent weeks to have been struck down by an ankle ligament injury, with star midfielder Ollie Rathbone also suffering the same ailment during the club’s pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Elsewhere, Jay Rodriguez and George Thomason are currently unavailable for selection too, with new signing Thomason struggling with a thigh injury.
The injuries to a number of forwards in particular could open the door for Ollie Palmer to return to Wrexham’s matchday squad. Palmer was left out of the squad for the game against Southampton amid rumours surrounding a potential move away from the club this summer.
Wrexham predicted lineup to face Hull City in the EFL Cup
Despite the slew of injuries, Parkinson still has plenty of options that he can rotate into the starting lineup for Tuesday’s game.
After a gruelling game against Southampton, The Wrexham Insider is expecting Parkinson to ring in the changes for the clash with Hull City in the EFL Cup. Here’s how they could line up.
GK – Arthur Okonkwo – Surprisingly dropped to the bench for the opening game of the season, Okonkwo is likely to be given a chance to impress in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.
CB – Max Cleworth – The 23-year-old has been a key player for Wrexham over the last number of seasons, and has even been backed by Shaun Harvey to shine in the Premier League one day.
CB – Conor Coady – He was one of Wrexham’s best performers against Southampton, earning an 8/10 rating for his efforts.
CB – Lewis Brunt – The Wrexham back three, despite conceding two late goals, impressed in their Championship bow together, so expect Parkinson to name an unchanged defence with that in mind.
RWB – Ryan Longman – A late substitute in the loss to Southampton, Ryan Longman will likely be drafted into the starting lineup against his former club on Tuesday.
CM – Elliot Lee – A final Racecourse Ground game for Elliot Lee? The midfielder has been heavily linked with a move away in the final weeks of the transfer window, and he could be given a final start against Hull; rotating in for 34-year-old Matty James.
CM – George Dobson – The midfielder has been a consistent presence for Parkinson’s side in recent years, and earned a solid 7/10 rating against Southampton.
CM – Lewis O’Brien – The new signing impressed in his debut, and looks set to be a star player for Wrexham in the Championship.
LWB – James McClean – Fresh off signing a new contract with the club, McClean will likely be drafted back into the starting XI to replace Liberato Cacace for the Hull City game.
ST – Josh Windass – The scorer of Wrexham’s first second tier goal since 1982, expect Windass to once again provide the creative quality up top.
ST – Ryan Hardie – After a 20 minute cameo on Saturday, Ryan Hardie will almost certainly be given his full debut at the Racecourse Ground on Tuesday.