Cardiff are back in the Championship and the mood around the Welsh capital is tense. Brian Barry-Murphy has walked into a squad that looks thin on the ground — the BBC snippet is blunt: unless they bring in at least two midfielders and another attacker, any major injuries and the talent is not there to replace them. That is a warning sign, but it also tells you where the game will be won. This is a squad built to scrap, not to dazzle. Jack Moylan is the only outfield arrival so far, and Calum Scanlon must be registered by midday Sunday to feature — that is cutting it fine. The projected XI from OneFootball and The Hard Tackle shows a 4-2-3-1 with Trott in goal, a back four of Kpakio, Ng, Osho and Bagan, a double pivot of Colwill and Robertson, and Moylan, Ashford and Davies behind Salech. That is a functional, organised shape. No superstars, but enough energy to make life awkward for any visitor.

Wrexham arrive as the great romantic story — but romance does not win football matches. They come into this off an EFL Cup defeat to Middlesbrough, and they will be without Josh Windass through injury. That is a significant blow. Windass is the kind of player who can unlock a low block with a moment of magic, and without him Wrexham lose a chunk of their creative spark. They are expected to line up in their usual 3-5-2, with Ward in goal and a back three of Doyle, Hyam and one other. That shape gives them width in the wing-backs and a solid base, but it also invites pressure. Cardiff will smell blood here. The home side have the momentum of a return to the second tier, a raucous crowd at Cardiff City Stadium, and a point to prove. Wrexham have the glamour, but Cardiff have the grit.