Wrexham vs Birmingham: TV channel, team news and predicted line ups
Wrexham host Birmingham in League One on Thursday night.
Wrexham host Birmingham City in one of the biggest League One fixtures of recent years as the two promotion hopefuls face-off on Thursday night.
Phil Parkinson's side will hope to bounce back from their dismal derby defeat to Shrewsbury Town a week ago, while the Blues will hope to strengthen their position at the top of the table following their recent win over Exeter. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the match:
A good omen?
With two defeats in their last three league contests, and Huddersfield Town nipping at their heels, it’s not been a pleasant start to 2025 for Phil Parkinson’s men.
That said, they have accumulated two more points after 26 matchdays than they had at this same stage of the previous campaign in League Two. There’s no denying coming up empty against a side in relegation danger like the Shrews can be costly. However, it’s been a tonic for their Thursday opponents. Chris Davies’ team were beaten 3-2 at Shrewsbury in November but have not lost a
competitive match since, riding a 14-game unbeaten run across all competitions. Maybe losing to the Shrews is just what Wrexham needs to turn things around.
Points dropped and gained
One major statistic separates these two teams in the League One table, and it has to do with finishing what you started.
Wrexham have dropped nine points from a winning position this season, while Birmingham have gained 16 from a losing one. That includes the first time these sides met last September as the Blues came from behind to secure a thoroughly deserved 3-1 win.
Deadly duo
Birmingham have a plethora of attacking options to keep an eye out for on Thursday, but two standout from the rest. Jay Stansfield leads the way with 12 goals, including two against Wrexham, while Alfie May is third in the league with 15 goal contributions in total. Together, they have netted a combined 22 times domestically this season, over 50 percent of all their goals in the competition this season (42).
TV Channel
Wrexham vs Birmingham will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Main Event, as well as Sky Sports Football. US viewers can watch full coverage of the match on Paramount+, with kick-off at 8pm BST from the Racecourse Ground on Thursday 23 January 2025.
Team news
Jack Marriott, who scored five goals for Wrexham before his injury, came on as a substitute last week, Lewis Brunt is dealing with a calf strain, and Callum Burton remains sidelined with a thigh issue. James McClean was confirmed to be in a car crash on his way to training Wednesday and will undergo further medical checks ahead of the match.
Birmingham will likely be missing Lee Buchanan because of a knee injury, while Josh Williams was sold to Gateshead.
Predicted XIs
Wrexham: Okonkwo; Cleworth, Scarr, O’Connor; Barnett, Dobson, James, Lee, McLean; Fletcher, Mullin
Birmingham City: Allsop; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Leonard, Gardner-Hickman; Yokoyama, Harris, Stansfield; May
