Wrexham AFC
Football England - EFL Cup The Racecourse Tue 23 Sep 14:45
Reading FC
  1. Prediction
  2. Odds
  3. Stats
  4. Team News
  5. Lineups
  6. Squads
  7. Table

EFL Cup Betting Preview: Wrexham vs Reading

Championship club Wrexham host League One team Reading in this EFL Cup third round match at The Racecourse, with kick-off set for 14:45 on Tuesday 23 September. Our betting preview features expert predictions, betting tips, the latest odds, H2H stats, team news and confirmed lineups.

Red Dragons Stand Out as a Value Bet

Wrexham can deliver the goods when it comes to Full-Time Result betting and we’ll back them with confidence against Reading. The odds of -152 look attractive when it comes to the home team.

Fancy Wrexham to win? Be sure to secure the latest BetMGM promo code and check out our in-depth review before you stake your bet.

Reading Beat Wrexham Last Time Out

Wrexham won last time out by a 3-2 scoreline. It was away from home against Norwich City at Carrow Road in the Championship. The Red Dragons ended up with just 38% possession and had eight shots on target, while Josh Windass bagged two goals and Ryan Longman scored the other.

Reading claimed a 2-1 League One home win over Leyton Orient at Select Car Leasing Stadium in their previous game.

In their last EFL Cup games, Wrexham won 3-2 when travelling to Preston North End, with Reading landing a 2-1 home win over AFC Wimbledon.

Head-to-Head Statistics

Reading beat Wrexham in their last head-to-head clash. It was a 2-0 League One home win at Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Confirmed Lineups

Wrexham confirmed lineup (4-4-2): Callum Burton (GK), Lewis Brunt, Dan Scarr, Callum Doyle, Ryan Barnett, Matthew James, George Thomason, James McClean, Elliot Lee, Nathan Broadhead, Sam Smith.

Reading confirmed lineup (4-2-3-1): Jack Stevens (GK), Kelvin Abrefa, Michael Stickland, Matty Jacob, Andre Garcia, Ben Elliot, Charlie Savage, Daniel Kyerewaa, Kamari Doyle, Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan, Mark O'Mahony.

Wrexham vs Reading Prediction & Betting Tips

Our Wrexham vs Reading betting guide delivers expert insight, including a main match pick, scoreline advice, standout player props and bet builder recommendations. Dive into each section below for more.

Match Prediction

We’re keeping things simple with our standout bet considering that Wrexham are currently priced at -152. We think they can secure a victory in this EFL Cup match and the hosts looks a value play.

Plenty of research goes into our football picks. It begins by focusing on the latest EFL Cup form and knowing the injury situation. The important numbers can then be utilised to help complete the picture.

Key Wrexham vs Reading EFL Cup & league stats:

  • Wrexham have won 3 of their last 5 games.
Wrexham to Win Probability

The latest odds at the best betting sites suggest our pick carries a 60.2% chance of winning. Our experts think there’s a stronger chance of success and calculate the probability to be 65-70%. That means we’re regarding it as a value wager.

Looking for Bigger Odds?

If you’re anticipating that both teams will find the net, why not check out the Wrexham to win + BTTS Yes option which is available at bigger odds on the Result & Both Teams to Score market.

Boost your betting strategy with exclusive offers, free bets, and welcome bonuses—all in our straightforward guide.

Our Match Prediction
Wrexham To Win @ -152 Bet Now BetMGM logo
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Gamble responsibly 18+. All odds are correct at time of publishing and are subject to change. To use the Bookmaker Live Streaming services you will need to be logged in and have a funded account or to have placed a bet in the last 24 hours. Geo-restrictions apply.
Published 21:08, 21 September 2025

Player Prop Picks

Top Pick: Josh Windass to Score +195 BetMGM logo

Josh Windass (Wrexham) has scored three goals in his past four matches. We’ll take a chance at +195 for this Anytime Goalscorer wager as the betting odds look really appealing.

Latest Josh Windass Player Prop Odds

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Bet Builder Tips

Full-Time Result Wrexham -152
Total Goals Under 2.5 +120
Anytime Goalscorer Josh Windass +195

Our same-game multi is packed with these picks: Wrexham to succeed, no more than two goals in total accompanied by Josh Windass (Wrexham) to score at any time.

A football bet builder is a wager on a specific game where you select different outcomes to happen. You need all your predictions to be correct and many readers love to place a tailored bet on the clash which interests them most.

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Wrexham vs Reading Odds

The odds are updated on a frequent basis. You might therefore find that they are different to the ones listed for the above betting predictions.

Bookies Giving Wrexham Plenty of Respect

Some will want to go ahead and back Wrexham at -164 to win this EFL Cup encounter. After all, this betting price suggests a 62% chance that the favourites end up succeeding. For those wanting to oppose the market leader, you can get +410 about Reading.

Wrexham winning by one goal means that the Asian Handicap -1 selection would get a full refund. However, you would get paid out at -106 if they manage to beat Reading by two or more.

There’s a high probability that Over 2.5 Goals will be netted according to the current prices. The Yes option in the Both Teams to Score market is regarded as the most likely outcome and is trading at -143.

The leading football betting sites provide bettors with an abundance of options. For every EFL Cup match, you’re able to select from hundreds of markets and make the best choice.

Sam Smith is the First Goalscorer Favourite

There is +140 available that Sam Smith finds the net anytime, while the favourite to score the first goal is on offer at +370.

Player Goals
Sam Smith (Wrexham)
First
+140
Anytime
+370
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Ryan Hardie (Wrexham)
First
+150
Anytime
+380
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Jay Rodríguez (Wrexham)
First
+175
Anytime
+400
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Josh Windass (Wrexham)
First
+195
Anytime
+450
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Team Stats

Latest EFL Cup and domestic league stats. Full Time Result, Goals, Corners and Possession.

Wrexham logo Wrexham Stats
Reading logo Reading Stats
Full-Time Result
  • 2 wins, 3 defeats and 1 draw in the previous 6 matches
  • 2 defeats and 1 draw in the previous 3 home matches
Full-Time Result
  • 3 wins, 5 defeats and 2 draws in the previous 10 matches
  • 3 wins, 3 defeats and 4 draws in the previous 10 away matches
Goals
Goals

Wrexham vs Reading Lineups & Team News

Double-check the Wrexham vs Reading team news before placing your bets. We’ll share the predicted and confirmed lineups for the EFL Cup together with updated injury news.

Wrexham Confirmed Lineup 4-4-2

Reading Confirmed Lineup 4-2-3-1

Wrexham Confirmed Lineup 4-4-2

25 Callum Burton
3 Lewis Brunt 24 Dan Scarr 2 Callum Doyle 29 Ryan Barnett
37 Matthew James 14 George Thomason 7 James McClean 38 Elliot Lee
33 Nathan Broadhead 28 Sam Smith
25 Jack Stevens
2 Kelvin Abrefa 22 Michael Stickland 5 Matty Jacob 19 Andre Garcia
4 Ben Elliot 8 Charlie Savage
11 Daniel Kyerewaa 29 Kamari Doyle 9 Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan
20 Mark O'Mahony

Reading Confirmed Lineup 4-2-3-1

Wrexham Substitutes

  • 1Arthur Okonkwo
  • 4Max Cleworth
  • 6Conor Coady
  • 9Ryan Hardie
  • 12Issa Kabore
  • 15George Dobson
  • 19Kieffer Moore
  • 27Lewis O'Brien
  • 47Ryan Longman

Reading Substitutes

  • 1Joel Pereira
  • 6Liam Fraser
  • 10Lewis Wing
  • 14Tivonge Rushesha
  • 32Paddy Lane
  • 36John Ryan
  • 38Philip Duah
  • 39Ashqar Ahmed
  • 57Sean Patton

Previous Wrexham Lineups

20 Sep Championship
Norwich 2-3 Wrexham
13 Sep Championship
Wrexham 1-3 QPR
30 Aug Championship
Millwall 0-2 Wrexham
26 Aug EFL Cup
Preston 2-3 Wrexham
23 Aug Championship
Wrexham 2-2 Sheffield Wed
16 Aug Championship
Wrexham 2-3 West Brom

Previous Reading Lineups

20 Sep League One
Reading 2-1 Leyton Orient
13 Sep League One
Barnsley 3-2 Reading
30 Aug League One
Reading 1-0 Port Vale
26 Aug EFL Cup
Reading 2-1 Wimbledon
23 Aug League One
Wycombe 2-2 Reading
20 Aug League One
Bolton 1-1 Reading
Team Squads

Wrexham Player Stats & Squad

Manager: Phil Parkinson

Player # Pos GP MIN ST BE G A Y R
Eoghan O'Connell 5 D 2 180 2 0 0 0 0 0
Elliot Lee 38 M 2 180 2 0 1 1 1 0
Arthur Okonkwo 33 G 2 180 2 0 0 0 0 0
Dan Scarr 24 D 2 180 2 0 0 0 0 0
Ryan Hardie 9 F 2 158 2 0 1 0 0 0

Reading Player Stats & Squad

Manager: Noel Hunt

Player # Pos GP MIN ST BE G A Y R
Michael Stickland 22 D 2 180 2 0 0 0 0 0
Jack Stevens 25 G 2 180 2 0 0 0 0 0
John Ryan 36 D 2 168 2 0 0 0 1 0
Kamari Doyle 29 - 2 154 2 0 0 1 0 0
Andre Garcia 19 M 2 153 2 0 1 1 0 0
England FlagEFL Cup Table
England FlagChampionship Table
Championship 2025/2026
# Team G W D L +/- P
1 Coventry 22 14 6 2 53:23 48
2 Middlesbrough 22 12 6 4 33:24 42
3 Ipswich 22 10 7 5 38:23 37
4 Hull 22 11 4 7 37:35 37
5 Preston 22 9 9 4 30:23 36
6 Millwall 22 10 5 7 25:31 35
7 QPR 22 10 4 8 32:34 34
8 Stoke 22 10 3 9 28:21 33
9 Bristol City 22 9 6 7 30:24 33
10 Watford 22 8 8 6 31:28 32
11 Southampton 22 8 7 7 36:31 31
12 Derby 22 8 7 7 31:30 31
13 Leicester 22 8 7 7 31:31 31
14 Birmingham 22 8 5 9 30:29 29
15 Wrexham 22 6 10 6 27:27 28
16 West Brom 22 8 4 10 25:29 28
17 Charlton 21 7 6 8 21:26 27
18 Sheffield Utd 22 8 2 12 28:31 26
19 Swansea 22 7 5 10 24:30 26
20 Blackburn 21 7 4 10 22:26 25
21 Portsmouth 21 5 6 10 18:28 21
22 Oxford 22 4 7 11 22:31 19
23 Norwich 22 4 6 12 25:35 18
24 Sheffield Wed 21 1 6 14 16:43 -9
# Team G W D L +/- P
1 Coventry 10 8 2 0 26:7 26
2 Ipswich 12 7 4 1 22:10 25
3 Watford 12 7 4 1 20:12 25
4 Middlesbrough 10 7 2 1 16:10 23
5 Hull 12 7 2 3 19:18 23
6 Birmingham 10 6 3 1 22:9 21
7 QPR 11 6 2 3 20:15 20
8 Preston 12 5 5 2 16:12 20
9 Stoke 10 6 1 3 17:8 19
10 Southampton 11 5 4 2 17:11 19
11 West Brom 10 5 4 1 13:8 19
12 Millwall 11 6 1 4 13:15 19
13 Bristol City 12 5 3 4 18:13 18
14 Swansea 12 5 3 4 15:16 18
15 Wrexham 11 4 5 2 17:15 17
16 Charlton 10 5 2 3 12:11 17
17 Leicester 10 4 4 2 14:11 16
18 Sheffield Utd 11 4 2 5 15:12 14
19 Portsmouth 11 4 2 5 11:12 14
20 Derby 12 3 5 4 15:18 14
21 Oxford 10 2 4 4 11:15 10
22 Blackburn 11 2 3 6 11:16 9
23 Norwich 10 2 1 7 11:16 7
24 Sheffield Wed 11 0 2 9 5:27 2
England FlagLeague One Table
League One 2025/2026
# Team G W D L +/- P
1 Cardiff 20 13 2 5 37:22 41
2 Lincoln 21 11 5 5 30:22 38
3 Bradford 20 10 7 3 29:20 37
4 Stevenage 19 10 5 4 24:15 35
5 Stockport 20 10 5 5 28:25 35
6 Bolton 20 9 7 4 28:19 34
7 Huddersfield 21 9 4 8 35:31 31
8 Luton 21 8 5 8 26:28 29
9 Wycombe 21 7 7 7 28:22 28
10 Barnsley 18 8 4 6 30:27 28
11 Leyton Orient 21 8 4 9 34:34 28
12 Northampton 20 8 3 9 21:21 27
13 Wimbledon 20 8 3 9 24:29 27
14 Wigan 20 6 8 6 22:23 26
15 Reading 20 6 7 7 24:26 25
16 Peterborough 20 8 1 11 24:27 25
17 Plymouth 21 8 1 12 26:33 25
18 Rotherham 21 6 6 9 21:27 24
19 Burton 20 6 6 8 18:26 24
20 Exeter 20 7 2 11 21:20 23
21 Mansfield 20 6 5 9 24:26 23
22 Blackpool 21 6 5 10 24:30 23
23 Doncaster 21 6 4 11 21:35 22
24 Port Vale 20 3 6 11 13:24 15
# Team G W D L +/- P
1 Lincoln 11 8 2 1 20:10 26
2 Bolton 10 7 3 0 20:5 24
3 Cardiff 10 8 0 2 26:14 24
4 Bradford 10 7 2 1 17:9 23
5 Wycombe 11 6 2 3 21:12 20
6 Leyton Orient 11 5 4 2 18:11 19
7 Huddersfield 10 5 3 2 18:11 18
8 Stevenage 9 5 3 1 11:5 18
9 Reading 11 5 3 3 13:12 18
10 Exeter 10 5 2 3 16:8 17
11 Wigan 10 5 2 3 11:7 17
12 Northampton 11 5 2 4 13:10 17
13 Barnsley 8 5 1 2 18:11 16
14 Rotherham 11 4 4 3 15:15 16
15 Luton 10 4 3 3 10:10 15
16 Stockport 10 4 3 3 11:12 15
17 Mansfield 10 4 2 4 15:12 14
18 Wimbledon 9 4 2 3 10:7 14
19 Doncaster 11 4 2 5 13:17 14
20 Peterborough 10 4 1 5 14:12 13
21 Blackpool 10 3 4 3 15:17 13
22 Burton 10 3 2 5 6:14 11
23 Plymouth 10 3 1 6 9:14 10
24 Port Vale 10 1 3 6 5:12 6