Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest Prediction: Can Wrexham write more FA Cup magic?

One of the most eye-catching FA Cup fixtures the third round has thrown up, Wrexham host Nottingham Forest at the Racecourse Ground on Friday night (19:30 GMT, TNT Sports 1). 

Wrexham’s remarkable rise through the pyramid now sees them on the edge of the play-offs, and they will be looking to add a Premier League scalp to their campaign in the cup. Below you can find my Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest predictions featuring team news and more. 

Team News

Wrexham may have had a hectic festive schedule, but after four wins in a row, manager Phil Parkinson is likely to name another strong XI. Unfortunately, Kieffer Moore looks likely to miss out again, while Elliot Lee, Lewis Brunt and Ryan Hardie are also out injured. 

Parky named Sam Smith and Nathan Broadhead as his front two in the win over Derby, while former Burnley forward Jay Rodriguez came off the bench. Josh Windass played behind the front two while Ben Sheaf and Matty James provided an experienced midfield duo, with the latter scoring a belting goal.

Lewis O’Brien may feature against the side where he had a troubled three-year spell.

Football Odds

Sean Dyche saw his side earn a valuable win at West Ham, but we can expect heavy rotation here as they prioritise Premier League survival. James McAtee, Douglas Luiz and Taiwo Awoniyi may all come into the XI, with Nicolo Savona and goalkeeper Angus Gunn also likely to be brought in. Arnaud Kalimuendo won’t feature after he joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan. 

Today's Football Fixtures

Wrexham vs Nottingham Forest Odds

Wrexham are priced at 16/5 to win this one, with Nottingham Forest the clear favourites at 4/5. That gives the away side an implied win probability of 55%, while a draw after 90 minutes is 5/2.

BTTS is 8/11, over 2.5 goals is 8/11 and Awoniyi has been placed as the favourite to open the scoring at 4/1.

BTTS @ 8/11

Wrexham’s games this season have been very entertaining to watch, and they rank well for BTTS, with 17 of their 26 league games seeing both teams on the scoresheet. They’ve scored 38 and conceded 32 in the second tier, and both teams have now scored in five of their last six outings, including a mad 5-3 win over Sheffield United. 

Nottingham Forest sit bottom for BTTS in the Premier League, but against a Championship back three, I would expect them to be able to find the net. 

Wrexham to win @ 16/5

As a Coventry fan who saw his team’s unbeaten start to the season ended at the Racecourse Ground, I know just how tough an away trip to Wrexham can be. They’ve only lost twice at home this season, despite a shaky start to the campaign, and there is the obvious narrative surrounding the club.

The Hollywood backing has massive media attention and they crave days like these. The FA Cup has already provided them with some brilliant moments as they beat Coventry as a National League side and almost dumped out Sheffield United as well. I think something special could happen on Friday night, and believe the price on Wrexham to make it five wins in a row is incredibly generous indeed. 

Wrexham to win and BTTS, combining our two selections, is 11/2.

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