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2025-10-28 - Wrexham vs Cardiff City

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Wrexham v Cardiff City
Football: English League Cup Fourth Round
Tuesday 28th October 2025 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV

Wrexham

There are three Football Clubs who play outside of the Premier League that have created big headlines due to the ownership- the light at Salford City has dimmed with the club struggling to get out of League Two, but both Birmingham City and Wrexham are making big waves on the other side of the pond in North America. Promotion has come easy for both in the last couple of years, but playing in the Championship is a bigger test and Wrexham's main ambition this season has to be consolidation.

Before a ball had been kicked, some had tipped Wrexham up at a very big price for Relegation back into League One after a number of consecutive Promotions to move into the second tier of English Football. Early results have been inconsistent, while manager Phil Parkinson has been under some pressure, but things look to be turning around for Wrexham who have a big opportunity to reach the League Cup Quarter Final this week.

Wrexham have lost 1 of their last 8 games in all competitions, although draws have been the main feature of that run. They had not won a home League game since the end of April, but Wrexham ended that run in a battling 1-0 victory over Oxford United last time out. It should be noted that Wrexham have beaten Hull City and Reading at home in this League Cup run, while also having a victory over Preston North End at Deepdale under their belts.

There is the potential for a monster Quarter Final tie if Wrexham can get through this Welsh 'derby' and so the manager is not expected to rotate his team too much.

Cardiff City

All of the recent attention in Welsh Football circles may have been on Wrexham after the Hollywood investment, but Cardiff City fans will still have bragging rights over this rival. They are one of two Welsh based clubs alongside Swansea City who have played in the top flight of English Football and that is something that Wrexham are desperate to achieve.

Recent years have been tougher for Cardiff City and fans are not so happy with their own owner who they feel has lost some interest, which has affected the team on the pitch. It was only as recently as 2019 that Cardiff City last played in the Premier League, but this has been a club in decline and they are operating in the third tier of English Football for the first time since 2003.

Cardiff City made a very positive start to life in League One, and they are still leading the Division, but recent results have been more mixed with the last 8 games in all competitions split with 4 wins and losses. They had won 3 away games in succession, including upsetting Premier League Burnley in the League Cup Third Round, but Cardiff City's run was ended in a 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers last time out.

Much like his counterpart, Cardiff City manager Brian Barry-Murphy has to pick a strong team in a rivalry game.

Head to Head

These two Welsh Clubs have been operating at very different levels in recent seasons and they moved in opposite directions at the end of last season.

They last met in the third tier of English Football in the 2001/02 season and Cardiff City won both fixtures played.

The Bluebirds have won on 4 of their last 6 visits to the Racecourse Ground, but the other 2 fixtures played in that run have ended in defeat.

Prediction

A place in the League Cup Quarter Final is clearly a huge carrot at the end of this tie, but there will be plenty of bragging rights to be secured when Wrexham and Cardiff City meet for the first time in almost twenty-five years.

The Football Clubs have been operating in different stratospheres in recent years, but Wrexham entered this season playing at a higher level than Cardiff City for the first time since 2001.

They have had much more recent investment compared with Cardiff City, but there isn't much between the teams in terms of League places. The Bluebirds are topping League One, while Wrexham are 16th in the Championship, although the feeling is that the latter are finding their feet after a slow start to life back in the second tier of English Football.

Big ambitions continue to push Wrexham and both the owners and the documentary makers would love to see the club into the League Cup Quarter Final against some of the top Premier League clubs. This would also be Wrexham's best Cup run since 1997 when reaching the FA Cup Quarter Final and they are rightly favoured.

Respect has to be given to Cardiff City for the start to the season, but recent results have been a bit more inconsistent. They are a young squad that will have some difficult moments and 4 losses in 8 games in all competitions leaves Cardiff City vulnerable.

This is a League Cup tie that will have huge attention in Wales, but also in North America, and Wrexham can secure a third home win in the competition. Nothing will be easy, but Phil Parkinson's team look to be more settled right now and they can edge past this rival and then tune into the Quarter Final draw on Wednesday with the hope of being paired with a huge Premier League name.