MX23RW : Wednesday, March 31 16:14:46| >> :600:155963:155963:

Northern Ireland without Niall McGinn and Jordan Thompson for Austria clash

Northern Ireland without Niall McGinn and Jordan Thompson for Austria clash
© Reuters
Craig Cathcart, Paddy McNair and Stuart Dallas are all available despite suffering knocks.

Niall McGinn and Jordan Thompson will not travel to Vienna for Northern Ireland's Nations League match against Austria on Sunday night, while George Saville has left the camp entirely.

Aberdeen winger McGinn and Stoke midfielder Thompson are both carrying injuries sustained in Thursday's 2-1 Euro 2020 qualifying play-off final defeat to Slovakia.

Saville has returned to England for personal reasons, having missed Middlesbrough's final match before the international window due to a family emergency.

However, Ian Baraclough said all other players were available – including Craig Cathcart and Paddy McNair, who both hobbled off against Slovakia, and Stuart Dallas who played much of the game with an elbow injury.

A string of changes could still be made, with Baraclough and his staff to assess fatigue levels from a physically and emotionally draining 120 minutes of action before making the selection for Sunday's match.

"Whoever takes to the pitch against Austria has their chance of staking a claim," Baraclough said.

The Austria match is the first of two Nations League fixtures for Northern Ireland in the next few days, with their final Group B1 game at home to Romania on Wednesday night.

With only one point from four games so far, Northern Ireland are at risk of relegation in a tournament they have never enjoyed, and their fate may come down to their meeting with second-bottom Romania in Belfast depending on results this weekend.

Northern Ireland v Slovakia – UEFA Euro 2020 – Play-offs – Final – Windsor Park
George Saville, right, has left the camp for personal reasons (Brian Lawless/PA)

The challenge will be as much mental as physical for Northern Ireland after their Euro 2020 hopes were extinguished in cruel fashion at Windsor Park.

"It's important to have individual chats with the guys and reiterate they did not let anybody down the other night and, for me, anytime they pull on the green jersey it means something to them," Baraclough said. "Getting them up for games is never a problem.

"Yes, there's the disappointment, but you have to put that to the back of you and try and finish these (Nations League) games as strongly as possible."

The defeat to Slovakia has led to much discussion over whether there could be a changing of the guard within the Northern Ireland squad, but Baraclough has rejected suggestions it represented the end of an era, and is already looking to a World Cup qualifying campaign that will start in March.

"The draw is in three weeks' time and the next time we get together as a group it will be the World Cup," he said. "We have quickly tried to shift onto that now."

ID:422274: cacheID:422274:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:6259:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough pictured on September 7, 2020
Read Next:
The big talking points ahead of Northern Ireland's clash with Austria
>
Latest Sports Video

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CRangersRangers33285078106889
2Celtic33209466244269
3Hibernian33168944311356
4Aberdeen331310103231149
5Livingston33128134041-144
6St Johnstone331010133440-640
7St Mirren331010133038-840
8Dundee UnitedDundee Utd33912122943-1439
9Motherwell3398163251-1935
10Ross County3385202659-3329
11Kilmarnock3384213347-1428
12Hamilton AcademicalHamilton3369183160-2927

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!