Despite coming back from two goals down to salvage a 2–2 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Friday, Wrexham will rue the dropped points as the EFL Championship playoffs loom large.
The Red Dragons returned from the international break completely flat in the opening 45 minutes at The Hawthorns. George Dobson was credited with an own goal after deflecting a free kick into the back of his own net before a careless foul from Issa Kaboré gifted the hosts a penalty, which Josh Maja converted.
Phil Parkinson’s men rallied in the second half through a Josh Windass strike and a cheeky back-heel finish from Dobson to bring the score level, but there was not another goal to be had in the game. The visitors were forced to take home one point against a team just above the drop zone.
With only six games left in the season, the disappointing draw could come back to haunt Wrexham in their Premier League pursuit.
Wrexham Standings After 40 Games in the EFL Championship
| Place | Team | Points | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coventry | 80 | 39 |
| 2 | Millwall | 72 | 40 |
| 3 | Middlesbrough | 71 | 40 |
| 4 | Ipswich Town | 69 | 38 |
| 5 | Hull City | 67 | 40 |
| 6 | Wrexham | 64 | 40 |
| 7 | Southampton | 63 | 39 |
With automatic promotion largely out of reach for Wrexham, the club is focused on a top-six finish to secure a spot in the Championship playoffs. Salvaging a point against West Brom propelled the Red Dragons back into sixth place, with 64 points through 40 games.
They might not hold the position for long, though. Southampton are just one point behind with a game in hand. Should the Saints secure a victory in that match, they would trump Wrexham to take possession of the final playoff spot.
The good news for Parkinson’s men is that they would still be within reach of not only sixth place, but fifth as well. Hull City are just three points ahead of Wrexham, which means one poor result could leave the door open for the Welsh outfit to strike.
Wrexham’s Next Five Games
| Opponent | Date | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Southampton (H) | April 7 | Championship |
| Birmingham City (A) | April 12 | Championship |
| Stoke City (H) | April 18 | Championship |
| Oxford United (A) | April 21 | Championship |
| Coventry City (A) | April 25 | Championship |
It’s anything but an easy end to the season for Wrexham. Next up is a tricky bout with Southampton, which could ultimately be for sixth place. Dropped points to the Saints could prove a devastating blow for the Red Dragons’ playoff dreams.
Matches against the cities of Birmingham and Stoke provide a bit of a reprieve on paper, but both clubs already took points off Parkinson’s men this season. Wrexham only managed a 1–1 draw with the Blues and then suffered a 1–0 defeat to Stoke in back-to-back matches in October.
Relegation-battling Oxford United should be no trouble to get past, leaving the Red Dragons without much hassle before a trip to the league-leaders. The Welsh outfit already stunned Coventry City in October, but could lightning strike twice?
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MATCH REACTION
- ‘Not a Straight Path’—Sophia Wilson Returns to USWNT Just Months After Giving Birth
- ‘A Game-Changing Player’—Forgotten Real Madrid Star Returns for Crucial Stretch
- ‘Makes No Sense’—Enzo Fernández’s Agent Bites Back at Chelsea, Reveals Transfer Update
- Arsenal Dealt Major Defensive Injury Blow for FA Cup Quarterfinal
- USMNT Stock Up, Stock Down: Reyna Gets His Chance But Pulisic Worries Continue
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Wrexham Standings: EFL Championship Table After 40 Games.
