- Southampton have won four of their last five, drawing the other, with three straight victories including two away wins.
- Wrexham have been solid at home in the Championship, winning nine, drawing six, and losing five of 20 games, conceding 30 goals.
- Josh Windass is a constant threat for Wrexham in the final third, netting 11 times in 35 Championship appearances.
Promotion-chasing pair face off in important encounter
With 64 points from 40 games, Wrexham sit sixth in the Championship table ahead of this round, while Saints have 63 points from 39 and occupy seventh. As such, this clash between two teams on the fringes of the playoff race could be pivotal in the coming season’s promotion push.
Wrexham have won two, drawn one, and lost two of their last five, including a 2-2 draw at West Brom and a 1-2 win at Sheffield United. Phil Parkinson’s men have adopted a pragmatic, direct style in the Championship, pressing the ball with structure and deploying two wing-backs and target men to create overloads and get men forward. They’re not a possession-dominant side, instead relying on a solid defensive structure, a compact build-up, and quality from set pieces.
The Red Dragons have been pretty solid at home, winning one and losing one of their last two, and will be a difficult nut for Saints to crack here.
Saints are in supreme form
Saints have gone to a new level since Tonda Eckert took over in November, combining high-intensity pressing with more pragmatic counter-attacking. They’re just as dangerous on the transition as they are when dominating the ball, and the intensity and fluidity of their positional play has seen them go from strength to strength.
They’ve won four of their last five, with three consecutive victories, and are unbeaten in three on the road (W2, D1). They’ll be able to match Wrexham’s intensity in the pressing phase, but have the extra quality to cause damage when they win the ball.
Going for goals
Southampton have scored 34 goals in 20 Championship away games this term, while they’ve won seven, drawn six, and lost seven. Given their strong recent form, their superior away record, and the fact that they have the superior clinical edge, the Saints look well positioned to edge another close matchup with Wrexham.
Adam Armstrong is the main man for Southampton in the front line, scoring 11 times in 29 league appearances, while Josh Windass is Wrexham’s main scoring threat with 11 in 35. Back both to get on the scoresheet here.
Saints look likely to win at a favorable 31/20, while a 2-1 away win could be a smart play, as Southampton won the reverse fixture by that scoreline at St Mary’s earlier in the Championship campaign.
