Phil Parkinson insists Wrexham have 4 players returning from injuries prior to the Norwich City showdown. However, Wrexham must start only two of them.
Tomorrow, Wrexham will complete a full week since pulling a nail-biting FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest on penalties. The Reds fans have spent the past 6 days praising Arthur Okonkwo, George Dobson and Liberato Cacace, as well as rewinding their impressive struggle to star-making comeback stories.
In other words, promotion scenes have come early for Wrexham fans. The home crowd left no stone unturned in invading the Racecourse pitch after winning the penalty shootout, as they do with every successful promotion.
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But there is a scary saying. All good things come to an end. So, is this 5 game winning phase the beginning of the storm for Wrexham?
Wrexham vs Norwich City: 2025/26 Championship season so far
This Saturday, Phil Parkinson’s men are back in town to lock horns with bottom-table boys Norwich City. Downplaying the Canaries challenge on paper is no big task. Norwich are 16 points and 13 places behind Wrexham. Less said, the only thing the Canaries possess more than the Reds this season is managers.
Wrexham have stick with Phil Parkinson through thick and thin in the first five months, thus, they are enjoying the rewards of that backing at present. Norwich have axed Liam Manning owing to a nightmarish start to their Championship run, and have currently handed over the locker room keys to Phillipe Clement.
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Long story short, Clement has improved the tough going at Norwich. For them, this Wrexham fixture will be an evening to prove themselves how far they have come under their new coach. For Wrexham, there will be multiple faces returning after a lengthy break and with a point to prove regarding their lineup status.
As relayed by boss Phil Parkinson to BBC, there are 4 injury returnees who couldn’t play any part in the magical FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest. The returning players in question are Kieffer Moore, Max Cleworth, Matty James and Issa Kabore.
2 Wrexham injury returnees should start against Norwich City
Kieffer Moore
There is a golden rule in Championship football and football in general. Never bench your best striker as long as he is fit. Kieffer Moore is simply that guy for Wrexham.
Ahead of the FA Cup eve, Moore was almost a confirmed starter only to get another week of rest. Maybe Parkinson saw a long night coming with extra times and penalty shootouts, and opted not to rush Moore instantly from his recovery schedule.
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Whatever be the reason, Parky needs to throw the 33 year old Welshman in the Norwich City box. Sam Smith is good, no doubt, but too much experimenting in January can backfire for Wrexham.
Max Cleworth
Callum Doyle and Dominic Hyam cleared every incoming Nottingham Forest attack as if the FA Cup 3rd round game was a Championship playoff final. Wish, Dan Scarr could also stay a little bit more resolute especially when Callum Hudson-Odoi started troubling the Wrexham backline.
The third goal came from Scarr’s lazy man-marking from the right hand side. Had Max Cleworth been there, maybe just maybe Wrexham would have put that tie to bed at 3-2 itself. Unlike the FA Cup game, the coming Norwich showdown doesn’t have a tie-breaker.
Dropping a lead can prove costly for Wrexham in the promotion equation, hence, Cleworth should be slotted in Scarr’s place to resume the winning journey in the second tier.
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