3 Wrexham vs Millwall player battles the Red Dragons can’t afford to lose in order to win tomorrow against Millwall at the Racecourse.
Playing against Millwall remains a daunting task for any Championship club. The Lions are notoriously famous for their overly aggressive playstyle which Wrexham also witnessed first hand at the Den. On the surface, that away evening was the Reds first Championship win of the season.
However, the 2-0 result was a much intense battle than the scoreboard reflects. Kieffer Moore went down in pain after scoring, Danny Ward bruised his arm in injury time which was an unpleasant sight for Phil Parkinson’s men. Apart from that, there were tons of dangerous Millwall attacks that only went to waste because of the Londoners poor finishing.
That luck won’t stay with Wrexham every time they face Millwall. Alex Neil’s side are fifth in the league table and above Wrexham for a reason. Phil Parkinson’s Reds have an open chance to level them with a win but they would need to be on their toes for doing that.
Keeping it in mind, below are the 3 Wrexham vs Millwall player battles the Red Dragons simply need to win in order to claim the 3 points at full-time.
3 Wrexham vs Millwall player battles
Sam Smith vs Mihailo Ivanovic
Sam Smith’s impressive January form is no secret for Wrexham fans. By netting in four consecutive starts, Smith has deservedly earned the PFA fans POTM nomination. However, Millwall’s Mihailo Ivanovic is an equal match for him.
READ MORE: Wrexham vs Liverpool preseason rumours are back two years after 2024 miss
READ MORE: Wrexham vs Millwall gets 1 minute Championship twist for noble cause
READ MORE: Zak Vyner’s Wrexham debut predicted against his former club Bristol City
Similar to Smith, Ivanovic is also coming on the back of a strong January with 3 goals to his name. Although the Lions striker hasn’t racked up as many goals as he should being a starter for Millwall, boss Phil Parkinson would be silly to undermine his attacking threat.
In August, Ivanovic missed a couple of brilliant chances against Wrexham to fire Millwall into the lead. His positioning often left the Reds centre-back pairing helpless, who were fortunate that Kieffer Moore and Lewis O’Brien made the most of their opportunities while Ivanovic and his teammates couldn’t.
For Sam Smith, scoring against Millwall will complete a five starts scoring streak. For Ivanovic, getting a goal would be a personal revenge against the Reds. Hopefully, Smith comes out on top.
Matty James vs Femi Azeez
Starting from late December, Matty James has stood out as Wrexham’s finest midfielder. The 31-year-old forms a perfect balance between winning possession and building attacks, alongside bagging crucial goals. Femi Azeez does the same role for Millwall, albeit as more of a playmaker rather than a box-to-box midfielder.
Very recently, Alex Neil’s team were offered massive bids of £20m for parting ways with Azeez but they didn’t. That alone tells how highly Millwall rate the 24-year-old for their promotion challenge. Wrexham will need to nullify Azeez’s impact especially in the first half, else the Reds could be left chasing the game again.
READ MORE: Wrexham vs Liverpool preseason rumours are back two years after 2024 miss
READ MORE: Wrexham vs Millwall gets 1 minute Championship twist for noble cause
READ MORE: Zak Vyner’s Wrexham debut predicted against his former club Bristol City
Comebacks like the QPR win does sound thrilling but they aren’t possible everytime. Thus, Matty James starring here and Azeez going quiet on the night is highly needed from Wrexham’s point of view.
Arthur Okonkwo vs Max Crocombe
Millwall haven’t netted as many Championship goals as Wrexham in the ongoing campaign. However, the tables turn when it comes to bagging clean sheets. The Lions are joint second in the league with 11 clean sheets as opposed to Wrexham’s 8.
Much of that credit goes to the Lions No.1 Max Crocombe who has made the keeping spot his own despite not being a guaranteed starter from the beginning. Arthur Okonkwo shares the same success story. Neither men saw the full 90 minutes in goal during the reverse fixture where Wrexham sealed all 3 points.
If the Reds are to repeat that result, Arthur Okonkwo will need to outdo Max Crocombe in terms of clean sheets.
READ MORE WREXHAM NEWS HERE:
- Wrexham vs Liverpool preseason rumours are back two years after 2024 miss
- Wrexham vs Millwall gets 1 minute Championship twist for noble cause
- In-form Wrexham striker earns PFA nomination (fans can help him win)
- Wrexham drop annual TST Soccer announcement featuring club legend
- Zak Vyner’s Wrexham debut predicted against his former club Bristol City
