Wrexham AFC closes out its preseason slate against Sunderland AFC on Sunday, with a Subaru Park crowd about to watch two clubs riding the best league finishes in their respective recent histories.
The Red Dragons enter off a narrow setback, and so do the Black Cats, setting up a match with more competitive juice than a typical August exhibition carries.
- Venue: Subaru Park, Chester, Pennsylvania
- Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT (U.S.) â 5 p.m. BST (U.K.)
- U.S. TV/Streaming: ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN app, ESPN Select, fuboTV
- U.K. TV/Streaming: Wrexham AFC’s official match pass, SAFC Live, Premier Sports 1, S4C, BBC iPlayer
- Also Available: Stan Sport (Australia), Claro Sports (Mexico); not available live in Canada
Wrexham dropped a 1-0 decision to Liverpool earlier in the week, its first defeat of the summer. Sunderland fell by the same scoreline to Leeds United, and enters Sunday chasing just its second win of the U.S. tour after beating York City earlier this summer. Phil Parkinson’s club still holds an edge in match sharpness, having already logged four preseason friendlies to Sunderland’s three, a stretch that included wins over WisÅa Kraków, Manchester United and Leeds United.
| WREXHAM AFC | ||
|---|---|---|
| Formation: 3-4-2-1 (Possible) | ||
| # | Name | Pos |
| 1 | Arthur Okonkwo | GK |
| 2 | Zak Vyner | CB |
| 3 | Dominic Hyam | CB |
| 4 | Callum Doyle | CB |
| 5 | Ryan Longman | RWB |
| 6 | Lewis O’Brien | CM |
| 7 | Matty James | CM |
| 8 | George Thomason | LWB |
| 9 | Bailey Cadamarteri | AM |
| 10 | Nathan Broadhead | AM |
| 11 | Sam Smith | ST |
| Possible starting lineup. Subject to change. | ||
Kieffer Moore, Brian Brobbey Headline Sunday’s Watch List
Wrexham fans get their first look at Danny Imray, the 23-year-old right wingback who arrived from Crystal Palace this week and sat out the Liverpool match. Kieffer Moore projects to lead the line up top, with Nathan Broadhead and Bailey Cadamarteri expected to operate underneath him in the attacking midfield roles.
Sunderland, meanwhile, is easing its World Cup contingent back into game shape. Brian Brobbey, Robin Roefs and four other returnees are working toward full match fitness, with the Dutch striker among those in line for extended minutes Sunday. Club captain Granit Xhaka has not yet rejoined the traveling squad.
| SUNDERLAND AFC | ||
|---|---|---|
| Formation: 4-2-3-1 (Possible) | ||
| # | Name | Pos |
| 1 | Robin Roefs | GK |
| 2 | Nordi Mukiele | RB |
| 3 | Dan Ballard | CB |
| 4 | Luke O’Nien | CB |
| 5 | Reinildo Mandava | LB |
| 6 | Noah Sadiki | CM |
| 7 | Habib Diarra | CM |
| 8 | Trai Hume | RM |
| 9 | Enzo Le Fée | AM |
| 10 | Romaine Mundle | LM |
| 11 | Brian Brobbey | ST |
| Possible starting lineup. Subject to change. | ||
Sunderland AFC, Wrexham AFC Both Coming Off Historic Campaigns
Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League last season with 54 points, clinching Europa League qualification on the final day with a win over Chelsea, its first European football since 1973, according to the Premier League’s official recap. Régis Le Bris guided the club to that mark in its first season back in the top flight after an eight-year absence, a stretch chronicled in the Netflix series “Sunderland ‘Til I Die.”
Wrexham matched that seventh-place finish one division down, closing the Championship season two points shy of the playoffs behind Hull City, according to NBC Sports â the highest league finish in the 162-year-old club’s history. Three straight promotions carried Wrexham from the fifth tier of English football into the Championship under owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, whose FXX docuseries “Welcome to Wrexham” turned the club into a global brand.
McElhenney has framed the project in personal terms.
“From the very beginning, it was, and always will be, about working-class people,” he told The Athletic back in February. Wrexham last played in the Philadelphia region three years ago, in a friendly against the Union’s second team.
Wrexham AFC members and season ticket holders had first access to Sunday’s tickets, with sales opening to the wider public in March. Sunday’s match closes Sunderland’s three-game U.S. tour and Wrexham’s preseason entirely. Wrexham opens the Carabao Cup against Middlesbrough next, while Sunderland has three more friendlies before its Premier League opener against Ipswich Town.
Like HEAVY’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post How to Watch Wrexham vs Sunderland: Live Stream, TV, Lineups appeared first on HEAVY.