The 6 players set to miss Wrexham v Birmingham City ft. £6.5m star | OneFootball

FLW looks at the players set to play no part in Friday night's game

After slow starts to their respective Championship seasons, Wrexham and Birmingham City will both be hoping to record a first win of the league campaign in North Wales on Friday night.

In recent times, this fixture has been billed as the 'Hollywood' derby, due to the hefty and high-profile American investment plugged into both the Red Dragons and Blues.

Both clubs were promoted automatically from League One two seasons ago, and although Birmingham took four points out of six from their upcoming opponents last term, it was Phil Parkinson's side who ended in a higher position of eighth, although Chris Davies' side will, like their counterparts, be harbouring ambitions of a play-off finish this campaign.

However, the 41-year-old is already feeling the heat once again after a 6-1 defeat to Brentford at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park in the EFL Cup on Tuesday.

With three crucial points on the line for Wrexham and Birmingham, plenty of players are capable of swinging the pendulum in the favour of their sides at the Racecourse Ground, but Football League World have looked at the players who are set to miss out on this fixture.

Wrexham

Liberato Cacace

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One of three confirmed absentees for the hosts is New Zealand international full-back, Liberato Cacace.

The 25-year-old played all three of his country's matches at the FIFA World Cup, but hasn't been available for selection since returning to North Wales, despite being closely monitored by Parkinson for a period of time.

However, the final match in August is one game too soon when it comes to his return from action.

Ben Sheaf

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Ben Sheaf signed for the Red Dragons for £6.5m 12 months ago, but has had a mixed spell with the club thus far after joining from Coventry City.

The 28-year-old suffered a medial ligament injury in February, but played 27 minutes of the final-day draw against Middlesbrough in May.

However, despite being involved in training sessions and also being monitored by the experienced Parkinson when it comes to availability, the central midfielder will not be available.

George Thomason

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A fresh injury blow for Wrexham is that of left-wing-back, George Thomason, who has sustained a thigh injury in the lead-up to Friday's match.

The 25-year-old accumulated six goal contributions last season for the play-off contenders, and had featured in all three Championship and EFL Cup matches at the start of this term.

However, it was revealed that the versatile figure injured his thigh when providing a cross in training, and speaking on the potential prognosis, Parkinson said pre-match: "I feel it’s going to be 10 weeks. Obviously that will incorporate a long international break, so that takes a chunk out of that."

Birmingham City

Taylor Gardner-Hickman

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The first of two guaranteed absentees for Birmingham is Taylor Gardner-Hickman.

Having spent the entirety of last season on loan with divisional rivals, Blackburn Rovers, the 24-year-old returned to the West Midlands this summer and played a part in the early weeks of pre-season for Davies' side.

That was until he sustained an unspecified injury in the 1-0 win over Burton Albion on July 22nd, with Davies revealing ahead of the start of the competitive campaign three weeks ago, that "he will be (out for) months, not weeks.”

Since initially joining on loan from Bristol City, with the deal then made permanent last summer, Gardner-Hickman has made 44 appearances for Blues, but there are further doubts over his long-term future as a result of this layoff.

Marc Leonard

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Marc Leonard appeared set for a departure of his own this summer before sustaining a cruel achilles blow in the final week of his loan spell with SPFL side, Hearts, in May.

The 24-year-old was signed for £500,000 from Brighton and Hove Albion in 2024, but has struggled for gametime ever since, and like it was in January, the current injury issue has only added to the doubts over his immediate future once Leonard returns from the sidelines.

Max Bird

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Despite signing from Bristol City two weeks ago, Blues fans have only seen Max Bird feature for 10 minutes as a substitute against Sheffield United, with the midfielder currently sidelined with a calf issue.

The injury was sustained two days before Birmingham drew 2-2 with his former employers last weekend, and it was confirmed by Davies that the 25-year-old would be unavailable for, potentially, one month.

"Max just picked up a knock in training sadly and he's going to be out for a few weeks by the looks of it, which is a blow for him and a blow for us because he came in and made a quick start," the Birmingham boss explained.