MX23RW : Saturday, April 27 00:04:32| >> :120:61290:61290:

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:
Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough pictured on September 7, 2020
Read Next:
The big talking points ahead of Northern Ireland's clash with Austria
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
1pm
Bublik
Carballes Baena
10am
Auger-Aliassime
Mannarino
10am
Bautista Agut
Khachanov
10am
Cachin
Tiafoe
10am
De Minaur
Nadal
10am
Dimitrov
Mensik
10am
Jarry
Cobolli
10am
Kecmanovic
Ruud
10am
Kotov
Thompson
10am
Lehecka
Medjedovic
10am
Machac
Shelton
10am
Medvedev
Arnaldi
10am
Monteiro
Tsitsipas
10am
Norrie
Fonseca
10am
Purcell
Korda
10am
Sinner
Sonego
10am
Azarenka
Sorribes Tormo
10am
Annie Fernandez
Jabeur
10am
Gauff
Yastremska
10am
Haddad Maia
Navarro
10am
Keys
Samsonova
10am
Ostapenko
Lourdes Carle
10am
Stephens
Sakkari
10am
Swiatek
Cirstea
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic000080265478
2RangersRangers000072234975
3Hearts000046341262
4Kilmarnock00004334951
5St Mirren00003843-543
6Dundee00004454-1041
Relegation Group
1Hibernian00004451-739
2Motherwell00004651-537
3Aberdeen00003549-1435
4St Johnstone00002446-2231
5Ross County00003256-2430
6Livingston00002259-3718
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
12Livingston3339212259-3718


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!