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Wrexham denied chance to face Man Utd or Arsenal after suffering penalty heartbreak

Wrexham were dumped out of the League Cup by Bradford on penalties, denying them the chance to face off against one of the Premier League big boys who will enter the draw in the next round

Wrexham were knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties
Wrexham were knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties(Image: Getty Images)

Wrexham have been denied the chance of a dream clash with Premier League opponents after being knocked out of the EFL Cup on penalties.


The Red Dragons were beaten in agonising fashion by fellow League Two side Bradford following a tense 1-1 draw at the Racecourse Ground.


Tyler Smith gave the visitors the lead from the penalty spot after just three minutes before summer signing Will Boyle squared things up mid-way through the second half.


In the shootout, Wrexham skipper Luke Young missed the opening spot-kick while midfielder James Jones later fired wide to seal a 4-3 victory for Bradford, who progress to the third round.

READ MORE: Ben Foster admits he's retired because Wrexham were conceding goals he couldn't explain

The defeat will be a hard one to take for Wrexham, who haven't made it to the third round of the competition in over 40 years, with their last appearance coming in the 1981/82 season.

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The third round is when the majority of the Premier League big boys enter the draw, with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool being thrust into the competition later tonight.

How far will Wrexham go in next year's EFL Cup competition? Let us know in the comments section below.

Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney
Wrexham owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney(Image: Getty Images)
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The result compounds a tough start to life back in the Football League, with Phil Parkinson's side winning just one of their seven matches so far this season.

They're currently 16th in the League Two table, and three points above the drop-zone, which must be an odd feeling following back-to-back title-challenging seasons in the National League.

Although they won't get to face them in competitive action, Wrexham got a taste of facing Premier League opponents during their pre-season tour of the US, having faced both Chelsea and Manchester United back in July.

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