Middlesbrough and Wrexham will both hope to be contenders for promotion when the Championship season gets under way later this month but they begin with an EFL Cup round one clash at the Riverside on Friday night.
The reshuffled schedule means the Football League clubs begin with the EFL Cup before the league season starts.
Kim Hellberg is starting his first full season as Boro boss, while Phil Parkinson got the Red Dragons to within two points of the play-offs in their first season back in the Championship.
Middlesbrough v Wrexham Tips Summary
Best Bet - Both teams to score in the first half @ 3/1
Alternative Bet - Wrexham to qualify @ 2/1
Bet Builder - Will Lankshear to score, Under 10 corners & Both teams to score @ 6/1
Middlesbrough v Wrexham Prediction
Best Bet: Both teams to score in the first half @ 3/1
These two sides met on the final day of the season in May at the Racecourse Ground and they traded four first-half goals in what was ultimately a 2-2 draw.
There have been fewer changes at Wrexham than Boro this summer, with the Teessiders losing key midfielder Hayden Hackney to Everton.
Parkinson, meanwhile, has brought in just one new face, full-back Danny Imray arriving from Crystal Palace, so there is stability and depth to the Welsh outfit and they will have eyes on the promotion race again.
We could see another open contest on this first competitive outing for both sides. A goal each in the first half is a decent value shout to be repeated.
Alternative Bet: Wrexham to qualify @ 2/1
Wrexham's lack of summer signings might be seen as a worry in some circles but, alternatively, it could be a sign that the club are relatively happy with the settled squad they have.
Both league meetings ended level last season, 1-1 here in the autumn and 2-2 at the Racecourse Ground in May.
Parkinson's side have played Premier League opponents in pre-season, beating Manchester United and Leeds United before 1-0 losses to both Liverpool and Sunderland.
That should stand them in decent stead against a Middlesbrough side that has drawn with Celtic and Espanyol either side of a 3-1 loss here against Huddersfield Town.
Boro have progressed beyond round two of this tournament only once in the previous seven seasons and could make an early exit again.
Middlesbrough v Wrexham Bet Builder Tip
Will Lankshear to score
Under 10 corners
Both teams to score
Pays 6/1
Hosts Boro have conceded seven goals in three pre-season friendlies and a clean sheet may be beyond them against this settled Wrexham side. They did, though, score three in the draw with Espanyol here last weekend.
Tommy Conway has yet to feature in Boro's pre-season games and the Scotland attacker could miss out again, leaving summer signing Will Lankshear to impress up top.
He hit double figures for Oxford United in the Championship last season despite his team being relegated and he should be a good addition to Boro's ranks and can land a goal on his competitive debut.
The league meetings between these sides produced 17 corners last season, neither reaching double figures, and something similar is likely now.
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Key Match Stats
Middlesbrough lost the Championship Play-off final against Hull City last season
Wrexham missed out on the play-offs following a 2-2 draw with Boro on the final day of the season
The Teessiders have lost midfielder Hayden Hackney this summer, but new faces include Sebastian Berhalter, Will Lankshear and Jeremy Sarmiento
Wrexham's only summer signing so far is wing-back Danny Imray from Crystal Palace
Both Championship meetings ended level last season, the only meetings of these two teams this century
Those two meetings produced a combined tally of 17 corners and six goals
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
