- Boro have failed to win their last home game against Wrexham.
Wrexham will make it tight
Boro's form has been patchy as the club have failed to get up and running in the Championship, but they should be too strong for League Two Wrexham in the 2026-2027 EFL Cup on Friday. However, the Red Dragons are capable of giving a good account of themselves and should make a scrap of it at Riverside Stadium.
Sam Smith has been the Red Dragon's hot hand in recent weeks, notching three of the goals in their last five games, but striker David Strelec is the main man for Middlesbrough, who have not won in their last five. He has two goals in Boro's four goals in the last five.
Parkinson’s men have the structure and players to make life hard for Boro
Phil Parkinson has got Wrexham set up well to frustrate Boro and they have momentum after a 3-2 win at Leeds United and a 1-0 loss at Liverpool yesterday. The Welsh club have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five in all competitions and they should make a decent account of themselves against Middlesbrough's men. Boro have won only two of their last ten in all competitions, but five draws during that run suggests Wrexham will not be walked over and a 1-1 draw looks the best value in the correct score market because of the value available on the draw.
Boro should have the edge
Wrexham are 16/5 to win here, which seems extremely generous, but Boro are 3/4 favourites and the draw is 14/5, suggesting it could be live in this cup tie if the Welsh outfit keeps the game scrappy and can nick the momentum when they spring Boro's transitions. Kim Hellberg's side may have to settle for a point here.
Both Boro and Wrexham are playing well right now with the home side coming off three draws and the visitors fresh from a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, so the match result markets are not of interest. Backing goals in this game appears the best way to make money, with Both Teams to Score available at 7/10 and Over 2.5 goals 3/4, although a narrow Boro win with both sides on the scoresheet look the sharpest play in this cup game.
Boro are likely to play a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3 system, with lots of high pressing and inverted full-backs to create the width for quick vertical combinations. Wrexham will play a back five, which has enough pace to recover, and will try to disrupt Boro's build-up play by using selective pressure while they keep compact and disciplined in their structure.
Wrexham average 0.86 goals per game on the road, but have won three, drawn one and lost three of seven away games in all competitions this term, while Boro have won twice, drawn once and lost once in four home matches, scoring 1.50 goals per game and conceding only 0.50 on average at home.
