Wrexham will take on Hull City in the EFL Cup this week, as both clubs begin their domestic cup duties for the 2025/26 season.
Both of these sides play in the Championship, which makes this one of the most high-profile matches of the first round.
While Wrexham have been phenomenal in recent seasons, a deep run in a domestic cup competition could be the next natural stage of the club's development.
How the bookies view it: Wrexham are the slight favourites
During the early stages of the EFL Cup, it is always a lottery as to what type of team each manager will select. This makes these matches very hard to price, which is why the bookies have left all three results on the table here. Wrexham are the slight favourites with BoyleSports at a price of 11/8, while a win for Hull has been priced at 9/5.
Head to head: A first meeting in 20 years
The match on Tuesday night will be the first time that Wrexham and Hull have played against each other since 2005, when they faced each other in League One. In their two matches against each other that season, Hull won 2-1 at home after the two sides played out a 2-2 draw in Wales.
Players to watch: Windass to build on his debut
Josh Windass is one of several players that Wrexham have brought through the doors this summer, and given how big their squad is, it's important for all of their new signings to hit the ground running if they want to muscle their way into the starting XI week in, week out.
While Windass could be rested on Tuesday, his excellent performance on debut against Southampton at the weekend could result in his playing from the start to build on the momentum he is gathering.
Windass, who is now remarkably 31 years old for anyone who wants to feel old, has now scored three goals in his last four competitive appearances, and he has always notoriously been a streaky player. Can he fire Wrexham into the second round this week?
Predicted line-ups
Both managers are expected to rotate their squads for this one to ensure their strongest players are match sharp for the next set of Championship fixtures at the weekend. Wrexham will be without five players, including Kieffer Moore, after the striker picked up an injury on the opening day of the season. Hull are missing four players, including Mohamed Belloumi.
Wrexham: Okonkwo, Cleworth, Coady, Brunt, Longman, Lee, O’Brien, Dobson, McClean, Windass, Hardie
Hull: Pandur, Drameh, Ajayi, Hughes, Giles, Crooks, Kamara, Lundstram, Slater, Nada, Joseph
Anything else catch the eye?
Wrexham may be looked upon as an open and attacking team, but their opponents on Tuesday, Hull City, aren't going to play that kind of game. Only one of Hull's last ten competitive matches has produced more than two goals, so a bet of under 2.5 goals, priced at 4/5 with BoyleSports, looks like a great bet.
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