5 talking points ahead of Northern Ireland v Luxembourg

The friendly will serve as a warm-up for the Euro 2020 qualifier against Germany.

Northern Ireland face Luxembourg in a friendly at Windsor Park on Thursday.

The match comes before Michael O’Neill’s men resume their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign against Germany on Monday night.

Here, PA’s Ian Parker takes a look at the key talking points ahead of the game.

All eyes on Monday

Thursday’s friendly is a mere hors d’oeuvre for Monday’s crunch test against Germany. Michael O’Neill split the Euro 2020 qualifiers into two key tests for his players at the start of the campaign. They aced the first half, taking 12 points from 12 in beating Belarus and Estonia home and away earlier this year, but that was the minimum requirement to keep hopes alive. Now comes crunch time with upcoming games home and away to Germany and Holland.

Match fitness needed

O’Neill will no doubt make changes for Thursday’s game but the key consideration in every selection decision will be Monday. It is not a simple case of resting and protecting those players he wants to use, as several key men need playing time having struggled to get it at club level early in the season. Corry Evans will captain the side having made only a couple of Carabao Cup starts for Blackburn, while O’Neill also has a decision to make in goal with none of his three keepers – Bailey Peacock-Farrell, Trevor Carson or Michael McGovern – first choice with their clubs.

Injuries bite

Estonia v Northern Ireland – UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying – Group C – A. Le Coq Arena — Liam Boyce is an injury doubt for Thursday’s game (Steven Paston/PA)

Youth movement

Linfield v Qarabag FK – UEFA Europa League – Play-off – First Leg – Windsor Park — Shayne Lavery has enjoyed an outstanding start to the season with Linfield (Niall Carson/PA)

No overlooking Luxembourg

Luxembourg are without a win in their last four games but prior to that Luc Holtz’s side had enjoyed a strong run, winning six of their 11 games in 2018. With a number of players playing in the German Bundesliga, in Europe with the likes of Dynamo Kiev, and in Major League Soccer, they have good experience in the side. “They’ve got players playing at a high level and had some really good results over the last two years so we expect a tough game,” O’Neill said. “They also have a big game on Monday night against Serbia so they’re in a similar situation to us. I think it’s a good game for us.”