Cardiff City begin life back in the Sky Bet Championship with a tough season-opening test against Wrexham.
Cardiff have returned to the second tier after just one season in League One, whilst Wrexham will seek to challenge for promotion after they missed out on last season’s play-offs on the final day of the campaign.
Team News
Cardiff have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 3-2 first-round victory over Swindon in the Carabao Cup.
Rubin Colwill (ankle) could return if he passes a late fitness check, but Calum Chambers (knee), Will Fish (hernia) and Dylan Lawlor (fitness) remain absent.
Wrexham have no fresh injury concerns to report following their 1-0 first-round loss at Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup.
Liberato Cacace (fatigue) could return but Ben Sheaf (MCL) and Josh Windass (calf) remain ruled out.
When is Kick-Off?
Cardiff host Wrexham at Cardiff City Stadium on Monday 17 August at 8pm BST, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Football in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Cardiff have lost just one of their last seven league meetings against Wrexham (W4, D2, L1).
- Wrexham have won one of their last nine league visits to Cardiff (W1, D4, L4)
- Cardiff have kept three clean sheets in their last four league matches at home (W3, D1), only failing to do so in a 5-1 win over Northampton in April.
- Wrexham won just one of three Welsh derbies across all competitions last season (W1, L2), which came in a 2-0 win at home to Swansea after they lost 2-1 away to the Swans in the league and at home to Cardiff in Fourth Round of Carabao Cup.
Prediction
Having been promoted at the first time of asking, Cardiff are certainly being thrown in at the deep end with a Welsh derby at home to one of the promotion favourites, but for all of their attacking quality their defending must improve after they twice conceded the lead against Swindon.
Wrexham meanwhile badly missed Windass’ presence in their cup exit at Middlesbrough where they struggled to offer much until they fell behind, so Phil Parkinson has hopefully found a way to tactically get them to cope without Windass otherwise this could be another lacklustre result.
The fact that this is their league-opener and having local pride at stake will surely lift both clubs but I do think that Wrexham will be able to get a draw here.
Prediction: Cardiff 1-1 Wrexham