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Wrexham vs Wigan Bet Builder Tips and Player Props
The weekend saw the English Football League season back with a bang; now it is time for the EFL Cup to take centre stage as we focus on Wrexham vs Wigan. Of the 29 ties taking place on Tuesday, this is the one that has been selected for TV with a 20:00 kick-off time as a consequence.
Bet Builder odds: 6.00
England, EFL Cup, Tuesday, August 8th, 20:00 (UK)
Odds via William Hill as at 22:45, August 8th 2023. Odds may now differ.
Wrexham vs Wigan Stats: League One Latics out to rip up the script
- Despite playing in the lower division Wrexham go into this tie as the odds on favourites to win.
- This is the first meeting between these two sides for over 20 years
- Wrexham have won the last three head-to-heads
- Wales’ first ever home international game was played at this venue in 1877 making the Racecourse Ground the oldest international stadium still in use anywhere in the World.
- May marked the 10th anniversary of Wigan winning the FA Cup – following a 1-0 victory over Manchester City.
Wrexham vs Wigan: Goals a cert at the Racecourse?
Both Teams to Score – Yes
It is not a massive surprise when a team dropping down from the Championship does business with a side coming up from the National League involving one of their better players. However, the fact it was Wigan’s James McClean who was “absolutely delighted to sign for Wrexham” says a lot about the path these two clubs currently find themselves on.
The Republic of Ireland international won his 100th cap in the summer, having been voted Wigan’s 2022/23 supporters player of the year after featuring in all 46 league games. This was no bit-part reserve.
The transfer preceded the much-anticipated return to the EFL following a record-breaking National League title-winning season. However, opponents MK Dons had not read the script, with Phil Parkinson describing the 5-3 defeat as a “reality check”.
Calling a winner is tough, especially given the visitors sprung a big surprise of their own against pre-season favourites. Best illustrating the mess this club finds itself in, Wigan kicked their season off on minus eight points, immediately eating into the deficit by claiming an impressive 2-1 win at Derby.
This tie provides a quick opportunity for Wrexham to put their opening-day defeat down to a touch of stage fright. However, the Latics will be equally keen to show the victory over Derby wasn’t a one-off and that they can take down another of this season’s well-fancied teams.
As a result, expect an open and entertaining game with action coming at both ends.
Over 2.5 goals
Superstar striker and talisman Paul Mullin was missing from the opening-day debacle. He was recovering from his collapsed lung and four cracked ribs at Wrexham co-owner Rob McElhenney’s home in Los Angeles. Some would say that’s a fair trade-off!
It is very doubtful the Liverpudlian, who also missed the pre-kickoff unveiling of a giant new mural of him on the wall of a local pub, would have been able to impact the result positively. What it did show is there are goals in this Wrexham team, even without him. But also, their frailties at the back were exposed on Saturday by Mo Eisa and Jonathan Leko.
Shaun Maloney was delighted with every aspect of his side’s performance at Pride Park. His side could, and probably should, have scored more, especially in an impressive first half, but all bodes well ahead of this trip to Wales, with goals most definitely on the agenda.
Charlie Wyke to score anytime
Attention around Wrexham is currently at a fever pitch—their opening League Two fixture sold out within an hour of going on sale. Hugh Jackman was one of those who did manage to get a ticket and witness the defeat at the hands of MK Dons.
It is also a likely contributor to why this fixture was selected for the Sky cameras. Headline act (on the pitch) Mullin, as previously mentioned, will only be part of the watching TV audience. But there is still a prolific striker available for selection to grace the newly named SToK Cae Ras.
Charlie Wyke has his own real-life story fit for Hollywood consideration. In the 2020/21 season, he plundered 25 goals in League One for Sunderland. Second only to Jonson Clarke-Harris, who hit 31.
In November 2021, shortly after signing for Wigan, the striker collapsed in training and suffered a cardiac arrest. Only the quick actions of then-manager Leam Richardson and club doctor Jonathan Tobin saved his life.
Understandably a lengthy spell on the sidelines followed, but now the 30-year-old is well and truly back. Latics boss Shaun Maloney claimed he returned for pre-season ‘like a new player’. That was immediately translated to an on-pitch performance, with Wyke grabbing both his side’s goals in that impressive 2-1 victory over the Rams.
The prospect of taking on a Wrexham outfit fresh from shipping five goals has to have the man from Middlesbrough licking his lips. Strikers tend to hit streaks at the start of the season, and I’m taking Wigan’s number 9 as one to do so.
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