- Team form: Middlesbrough have played well since manager Kim Hellberg took charge in November 2025, and have an unbeaten record of 1 win and 2 draws against Wrexham in the last 3 meetings.
- Tactics: Wrexham will set up deep, hoping to hit Middlesbrough on the counter, but The Boro are a high-tempo side and may be too strong.
Boro arrive on the back of a great win at Bolton
Two of the most talked-about managers in England, Phil Parkinson and Kim Hellberg will oversee this Championship 2026-2027 clash of styles at SToK Cae Ras on Wednesday. Wrexham are the better known of the two, but they haven't quite hit their stride yet this season, sitting 17th in the table with 14 points from 12 games.
They have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five games, and their three most recent results include a 1-2 home loss to West Bromwich Albion, a 4-1 home win over Preston North End and a 2-0 away loss to Blackburn Rovers.
Parkinson has been a great success at Wrexham since July 2021 and has always tended to favour a compact wing-back system with selective pressing, rather than all-out.
The Boro boss has brought his high-tempo style to the Teeside club
Middlesbrough are a completely different side from The Boro of last season, thanks to the high-tempo possession game that Hellberg has instilled since he took over at the Riverside last November. The Boro are high-pressing, high-tempo and play with a high defensive line to force mistakes on their opponents and the results have been fantastic with Boro sitting at the top of the table on 25 points from 12 matches.
They come into this game in good form, unbeaten in five, with three wins and two draws, although their last two matches, one home and one away, could not have been more contrasting, a 2-2 draw at home to Cardiff City and a 5-1 win at struggling Bolton Wanderers.
Middlesbrough have the quality to win this game
Tactical preview:
The Boro will have the edge in this clash of playing styles and they have a bit of a needle to settle after beating Wrexham in the EFL Cup two months ago. However, this is a game that should suit the hosts and they'll set up with a deep block to contain Boro and then try to pick them off on the break.
Form and odds:
The odds reflect this table disparity with Boro at 2.15, Wrexham at 3.06 and the draw at 3.55, but an away result looks more likely given both teams' current form. But Wrexham have a solid shape at home and could keep this close enough for the draw no bet option to be considered as well.
- Away from home in the Championship 2026/2027, Boro have won three, drawn two and lost one of six games so far, scoring at a rate of 2.17 per game and conceding 1.33.
- In contrast, Wrexham have won two, drawn two and lost two of six home games, conceding eight goals at a rate of 1.33.
Boro have the firepower to finish chances
Both clubs have big men to play off and Will Lankshear has been Boro's main outlet up front, scoring six Championship goals in eight games.
- He contributed five of Boro's 12 goals in their last five matches, accounting for just over a third of Boro's 12 goals during that five-game burst.
- Amario Cozier-Duberry has been another creator for Boro in this period, providing four assists.
- Kieffer Moore is the main man for the Red Dragons, with three goals in his eight Championship appearances this season, but he has notched three of his team's seven goals in the last five matches.
