Paul Mullin came off the bench as Wrexham beat Peterborough United over the weekend.
Wrexham faced off with Peterborough United on Saturday, aware that a win could see them go top of League One.
We are only four games into the 2024/25 season but Phil Parkinson will no doubt be pleased with how his side has fared so far.
The Welsh outfit are currently undefeated in the league, with the only blip so far a 0-0 draw away to a Bolton Wanderers side who reached the play-offs last term.
And after beating Peterborough 2-0, Wrexham are now second in the League One table, only behind first place via goal difference.
The Red Dragons have achieved the majority of their early-season success without star striker, Paul Mullin.
The centre-forward had to undergo minor spinal surgery earlier this year, forcing him to miss the club’s pre-season tour and the start of the proper campaign.
- READ MORE: Former Premier League midfielder makes ‘interesting’ Wrexham prediction after the transfer window
Phil Parkinson sends warning to Paul Mullin after Wrexham return
Mullin has finished the previous two campaigns as Wrexham’s top scorer, meaning him missing the start of 2024/25 was a major blow.
However, Parkinson’s squad has largely copped very well without the striker, who has since returned to action but has only featured for 37 minutes across two games.
In his place, Ollie Palmer and Jack Marriott have led the line. Parkinson has now warned Mullin that his spot in the eleven is not guaranteed and he must fight to win it back from the aforementioned duo, as per Goal.
He said: “Mulls isn’t quite ready yet, he’s getting there, that’s the best he’s felt when he came on today, I felt he was so sharp. Jack [Marriott] and Ollie [Palmer] have got the shirts at the moment, the other players have got to wrestle them away from them.
“I keep saying to the front two, what we’re pleased with at the moment is their work for the team, and key moments come on the back of that, and that’s why we’re winning games at the start of the season.”
- READ MORE: Five best players Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds failed to sign for Wrexham this summer
Can Jack Mariott keep Paul Mullin out of the Wrexham team
Mariott was praised by the Peterborough manager following their clash this past weekend.
The Wrexham striker opened the scoring in the tie and has now found the net twice in four League One outings.
This is a vast improvement from what we saw from the 29-year-old during the second half of 2023/24 when he managed just one goal in 17 matches across all competitions.
However, whether or not he has done enough to keep his place over Mullin remains to be seen.
Palmer has not provided too many goals since his arrival at the club but his physicality greatly benefits the smaller Mullin, meaning Parkinson cannot really bench him if he wants to start Mullin.
In turn, if one player has to be dropped to bring the club’s record goalscorer back into the eleven, it will likely have to be Marriott, despite his great start to the season.