Windsor Park showdown: the key issues

Northern Ireland face Germany in Belfast on Monday night after four wins from four in Euro 2020 qualifying so far.

Published Sep 8, 2019

Northern Ireland resume their Euro 2020 qualifying campaign on Monday night with a fixture against Germany at Windsor Park.

Here the PA news agency takes a look at five key talking points going into the match.

Crunch time

Celebrations were kept to a minimum as Northern Ireland took 12 points from 12 to open their qualifying campaign. It was, after all, the basic requirement from their meetings with Estonia and Belarus. Now come the decisive matches against Germany and Holland. Assuming Germany and Holland also take maximum points from the other teams in the group, Northern Ireland either need to take four points off one nation or a win against both and hope goal difference stands in their favour. Holland’s win over Germany on Friday night did Michael O’Neill’s men no favours, as a Germany win would have meant a single win over the Dutch would have put them through.

Big test for the new crop

Estonia v Northern Ireland – UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifying – Group C – A. Le Coq Arena — Jamal Lewis, 21, has quickly established himself as a key player for Northern Ireland (Steven Paston/PA)

Momentum

Northern Ireland v Luxembourg – International Friendly – Windsor Park — Kevin Malget’s bizarre own goal gave Northern Ireland a friendly victory over Luxembourg on Thursday night (Liam McBurney/PA)

Injuries take a bite

A record night for Davis

Austria v Northern Ireland – UEFA Nations League – Group B3 – Ernst Happel Stadium — Steven Davis is set to break Aaron Hughes’ Northern Ireland caps record for an outfield player (John Walton/PA)