Wrexham have the chance to wrap up promotion to League One at home to Forest Green, and here is how Phil Parkinson could line up his side.
Wrexham are on the verge of achieving something unthinkable.
The Reds spent 15 years in the doldrums of the National League until Phil Parkinson orchestrated a record-breaking title win last season.
After finally escaping the fifth tier of English football to play in League Two for the first time since 2008, Wrexham are close to making a swift exit from the fourth tier.
With three matches left, Parkinson’s men are just five points from mathematically securing their promotion to League One, a feat that could happen this weekend depending on other results.
Wrexham have to beat Forest Green while relying on Barrow and MK Dons dropping points against Gillingham and Mansfield respectively.
It would be the first time in the club’s 159-year history that back-to-back promotions have been achieved with Parkinson and his players aiming to write their names in the history books.
The Welsh side set up this opportunity by thrashing Crawley Town 4-1 on Tuesday as a Paul Mullin double and goals from Ryan Barnett and Andy Cannon sealed a convincing victory.
As Wrexham pray for a record-breaking weekend against the League Two strugglers, here is how Parkinson could lineup.
Wrexham predicted XI v Forest Green
Goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo has enjoyed a marvellous spell on loan from Arsenal, and the 22-year-old could be captured permanently in the summer.
As for the back three in front of him, a trio of Max Cleworth, Eoghan O’Connell and Tom O’Connor is Parkinson’s preferred defensive unit; one that wouldn’t look out of place in League One.
While that trio are important, so is right wing-back Ryan Barnett, who was lauded as ‘terrifying’ for how his pace scares the life out of defenders.
The 24-year-old has kept Luke Bolton out of the side, making his form all the more impressive.
After hearing that Jacob Mendy would play no further part this term, James McClean is almost guaranteed to start on the opposite flank.
Parkinson recently got his magnificent midfield trio of George Evans, Andy Cannon and Elliot Lee back together, with Evans recently recovering from injury.
Those three are nailed on to make the starting XI against Forest Green, as is striker Paul Mullin, whose brace against Crawley took him to 23 goals for the campaign.
While Mullin is impressible in front of goal, he’s never found a consistent partner with Parkinson likely to drop £6k-a-week star Steven Fletcher for the ‘brilliant’ Ollie Palmer on Saturday.
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