League One: Game Week 1
Stadium: University of Bolton Stadium
18th August 2024
Bolton Wanderers will host Wrexham at the University of Bolton Stadium in Game Week 1 of League One. Both teams want to get back-to-back wins. Who will win it after 90 minutes?
Claim Your Welcome Bonus!Bolton Wanderers form
Having spent 15 years in the fifth tier, the Welsh outfit are now keen to make a statement in their new division and fight for yet another promotion.
The Red Dragons have already shown they can roll their sleeves up and come back from a goal down to earn a 1-1 draw in their opening league game against Milton Keynes Dons. That fiery display was then succeeded by a convincing 3-0 win at Walsall in the EFL Cup, showing both attacking flair and defensive steel.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson will want to continue this rich vein of form as they look forward to the first league meeting between them and Bolton Wanderers for over thirty years. The two strong opening performances by both teams could give fans a really exciting game.
Bolton will be looking to build upon their great start to the season, seeking promotion into higher divisions. But Wrexham, fresh from their week off recently to regroup, and with a point to prove about their League One credentials, will not give up easily.
Predicted Lineup for Bolton Wanderers
Baxter; Toal, Santos, Iredale; Dacres-Cogley, Arfield, Sheehan, Thomason, Schon; Charles, Collins
Wrexham form
Now, Wrexham participate in their first League One campaign since 2003-04 after gaining successive promotions under the ownership of Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds. Their return to the third tier began with an exciting 3-2 victory over Wycombe Wanderers, thanks to goals from Max Cleworth, Jack Marriott, and Steven Fletcher. But they could not replicate this form in the EFL Cup, after a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Sheffield United. Manager Phil Parkinson now looks ahead to pitting his wits against one of his former clubs, having gained promotion to League One with Bolton back in 2016-17. Wrexham will be hunting for their first victory over Bolton in more than 30 years, having lost their last three meetings with the Trotters.
Predicted Wrexham Lineup
Okonkwo; Barnett, Cleworth, O'Connell, O'Connor, McClean; Cannon, Dobson, Lee; Marriott, Palmer
Bolton Wanderers vs Wrexham Expert Tips
Bolton will lose Klaidi Lolos to an ankle injury, while Will Forrester is also in the treatment room and Kyle Dempsey is a doubt for this week's game. Ian Evatt could go back to the starting lineup that faced the first league game of the season following changes in midweek. Paul Mullin and Jacob Mendy are close to making their comeback, but Wrexham will need to decide if either is fit enough to play on Sunday. The likes of Dan Scarr, Lewis Brunt, and Ollie Rathbone could all miss out on a place in the starting XI, as the head coach could very well name the same team that fielded against Wycombe. Marriott and Palmer will very likely make up Wrexham's front two. The predicted starting lineups for Bolton and Wrexham are listed. Wrexham has been involved in high-scoring games so far, but a draw is expected between the two strong teams on Sunday. Take a double chance on Wrexham. We expect both teams to be on the score sheet.