Caoimhín Kelleher will start in goal tomorrow, barring a late injury, which means Gavin Bazunu and Mark Travers will need to be patient again.
Heimir Hallgrímsson is expected to go with the same three centre-backs, so Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea and Jake O’Brien will retain their places, with John Egan and Jimmy Dunne held in reserve.
Wing-backs
This is one of the areas where there is more likely to be change.
Seamus Coleman performed magnificently and completed the game against Portugal on Thursday.
However, the 37-year-old has only a handful of Premier League minutes with Everton this season, so expecting him to play two international matches in a short space of time is a big ask.
There are other options. Festy Ebosele could be switched to his preferred role, having invariably played in more attacking positions under Hallgrímsson.
Chiedozie Ogbene could also be moved away from his more attacking midfield position.
And Jake O’Brien could be taken away from centre-back, having mainly been used as a right-back at club level since joining Everton.
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But Coleman did start two successive games in the last window, and the Donegal native will surely be keen to feature from the outset again for such a crucial qualifier.
Who plays on the left is also not clear-cut.
Ryan Manning has generally been the first choice there since Robbie Brady picked up a long-term injury.
But Liam Scales produced an assured display with the Galway native suspended for the Portugal home game, and it was his header that set up Troy Parrott’s opening goal.
The Celtic star is widely considered a better defender than Manning, but the Southampton player offers more going forward and was particularly influential with his set-piece deliveries in the home match versus Hungary.
Scales’ performance on Thursday might just be enough to see him start, but Manning will surely feature at some stage, whether it’s from the outset or off the bench, particularly if Ireland are chasing the game and need to get more creative players on the pitch.
Uncapped Kevin O’Toole is another option, as is Dunne, but neither are expected to feature from the outset.
Midfield
Josh Cullen will almost certainly remain in the side, having delivered one of his best performances in an Ireland shirt on Thursday.
Who joins him is less obvious.
Jayson Molumby is another who was suspended for Thursday’s match, but completed 90 minutes during both games in the last window.
But Jack Taylor didn’t do much wrong in his 68 minutes on the pitch versus Portugal, and debutant Conor Coventry was similarly solid after replacing the Ipswich star.
It’s again one of the harder calls that Hallgrímsson has to make, and given it’s a role that requires significant energy, he will be tempted to freshen up that area.
And again, regardless of who starts, you will probably see Taylor and Molumby on the pitch at some stage.
Attack
It seemed a close enough call between Troy Parrott and Adam Idah before the Portugal match.
However, Parrott’s display at the Aviva has definitely given him the edge for now.
The AZ Alkmaar star was withdrawn in the 68th minute after scoring both goals in the stunning win over Roberto Martinez’s men.
That change was made seemingly with an eye on Sunday, and confirmation today of Evan Ferguson’s absence feels like far less of a concerning development on the back of Parrott’s recent heroics.
Johnny Kenny, meanwhile, almost certainly won’t start. But the Celtic star — who has scored four times in his last four appearances at club level — could be introduced in the dying stages, particularly if Ireland need a goal.
Behind him, Chiedozie Ogbene probably did enough in his 86 minutes on the pitch against Portugal to keep his place in the team.
Ogbene had appeared a little out of sorts for the Boys in Green in previous windows, but looked back to something near his best on Thursday, partly thanks to increased game time with Sheffield United after recovering from a long-term injury that saw him miss most of Ipswich’s Premier League campaign last year.
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It looks like a close enough call between Finn Azaz and Festy Ebosele for the second attacking midfield spot.
Azaz got the nod against Portugal, before Ebosele replaced him in the 79th minute.
In the last window, the İstanbul Başakşehir player was preferred for the away qualifier, so that scenario is certainly conceivable.
But both players are likely to be used at some point, even if one has to settle for an impact sub role.
Andrew Moran, Jamie McGrath and Mikey Johnston, all of whom could conceivably fill one of these two roles, will probably start on the bench, though it would be no surprise to see at least one of that trio feature at some point in the game.
Possible Ireland XI to face Hungary: Caoimhín Kelleher; Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Jake O’Brien; Seamus Coleman, Liam Scales, Josh Cullen, Jack Taylor; Chiedozie Ogbene, Finn Azaz; Troy Parrott.
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Goalkeeper/defence
Caoimhín Kelleher will start in goal tomorrow, barring a late injury, which means Gavin Bazunu and Mark Travers will need to be patient again.
Heimir Hallgrímsson is expected to go with the same three centre-backs, so Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea and Jake O’Brien will retain their places, with John Egan and Jimmy Dunne held in reserve.
Wing-backs
This is one of the areas where there is more likely to be change.
Seamus Coleman performed magnificently and completed the game against Portugal on Thursday.
However, the 37-year-old has only a handful of Premier League minutes with Everton this season, so expecting him to play two international matches in a short space of time is a big ask.
There are other options. Festy Ebosele could be switched to his preferred role, having invariably played in more attacking positions under Hallgrímsson.
Chiedozie Ogbene could also be moved away from his more attacking midfield position.
And Jake O’Brien could be taken away from centre-back, having mainly been used as a right-back at club level since joining Everton.
But Coleman did start two successive games in the last window, and the Donegal native will surely be keen to feature from the outset again for such a crucial qualifier.
Who plays on the left is also not clear-cut.
Ryan Manning has generally been the first choice there since Robbie Brady picked up a long-term injury.
But Liam Scales produced an assured display with the Galway native suspended for the Portugal home game, and it was his header that set up Troy Parrott’s opening goal.
The Celtic star is widely considered a better defender than Manning, but the Southampton player offers more going forward and was particularly influential with his set-piece deliveries in the home match versus Hungary.
Scales’ performance on Thursday might just be enough to see him start, but Manning will surely feature at some stage, whether it’s from the outset or off the bench, particularly if Ireland are chasing the game and need to get more creative players on the pitch.
Uncapped Kevin O’Toole is another option, as is Dunne, but neither are expected to feature from the outset.
Midfield
Josh Cullen will almost certainly remain in the side, having delivered one of his best performances in an Ireland shirt on Thursday.
Who joins him is less obvious.
Jayson Molumby is another who was suspended for Thursday’s match, but completed 90 minutes during both games in the last window.
But Jack Taylor didn’t do much wrong in his 68 minutes on the pitch versus Portugal, and debutant Conor Coventry was similarly solid after replacing the Ipswich star.
It’s again one of the harder calls that Hallgrímsson has to make, and given it’s a role that requires significant energy, he will be tempted to freshen up that area.
And again, regardless of who starts, you will probably see Taylor and Molumby on the pitch at some stage.
Attack
It seemed a close enough call between Troy Parrott and Adam Idah before the Portugal match.
However, Parrott’s display at the Aviva has definitely given him the edge for now.
The AZ Alkmaar star was withdrawn in the 68th minute after scoring both goals in the stunning win over Roberto Martinez’s men.
That change was made seemingly with an eye on Sunday, and confirmation today of Evan Ferguson’s absence feels like far less of a concerning development on the back of Parrott’s recent heroics.
Johnny Kenny, meanwhile, almost certainly won’t start. But the Celtic star — who has scored four times in his last four appearances at club level — could be introduced in the dying stages, particularly if Ireland need a goal.
Behind him, Chiedozie Ogbene probably did enough in his 86 minutes on the pitch against Portugal to keep his place in the team.
Ogbene had appeared a little out of sorts for the Boys in Green in previous windows, but looked back to something near his best on Thursday, partly thanks to increased game time with Sheffield United after recovering from a long-term injury that saw him miss most of Ipswich’s Premier League campaign last year.
It looks like a close enough call between Finn Azaz and Festy Ebosele for the second attacking midfield spot.
Azaz got the nod against Portugal, before Ebosele replaced him in the 79th minute.
In the last window, the İstanbul Başakşehir player was preferred for the away qualifier, so that scenario is certainly conceivable.
But both players are likely to be used at some point, even if one has to settle for an impact sub role.
Andrew Moran, Jamie McGrath and Mikey Johnston, all of whom could conceivably fill one of these two roles, will probably start on the bench, though it would be no surprise to see at least one of that trio feature at some point in the game.
Possible Ireland XI to face Hungary: Caoimhín Kelleher; Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Jake O’Brien; Seamus Coleman, Liam Scales, Josh Cullen, Jack Taylor; Chiedozie Ogbene, Finn Azaz; Troy Parrott.
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Heimir Hallgrímsson looking ahead Soccer Hungary Ireland Republic Portugal