Caoimhín Kelleher is virtually certain to start in goal, barring a late injury, having played every Premier League minute for Keith Andrews’ Brentford so far.
In defence, it would be a surprise if Heimir Hallgrímsson deviated from the three centre-backs that started both games in the last window.
Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, and Dara O’Shea have all been regulars at club level (although O’Brien did not start Everton’s 2-0 win over Fulham on Saturday) and are expected to feature again.
That means the likes of John Egan and Jimmy Dunne, who have played consistently in the Championship this season with Hull City and QPR, will probably be held in reserve.
Wing-backs
Seamus Coleman has not played a minute of competitive action since the last international window, having been kept on the bench at Everton for much of this season.
Yet the 37-year-old was one of Ireland’s standout performers in Ireland’s last round of games, with his influence particularly noticeable in the narrow 1-0 loss away to Portugal.
There also aren’t many obvious alternatives in the right wing-back spot (assuming Hallgrímsson persists with five at the back), so the Donegal native should get the nod, especially with his main selection rival, Matt Doherty, unavailable.
Ryan Manning’s suspension complicates matters on the left.
With Robbie Brady and Callum O’Dowda also unavailable, through injury, Hallgrímsson’s options are further limited, which partially explains the surprise call-up for New York City FC’s Kevin O’Toole.
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But picking an uncapped player from the outset for such a big game would represent a significant risk.
It seems more likely that the Ireland boss will place his faith in Liam Scales, who primarily plays as a left-sided centre-back these days with Celtic, but has no shortage of experience lining out at wing-back, particularly in his time at Shamrock Rovers.
Midfield
Josh Cullen, who has played in all 11 of Burnley’s Premier League fixtures this season, has tended to be one of the first names on the teamsheet when available to play for Ireland in recent years, and that is unlikely to change for this crunch window.
Who plays alongside Cullen is the hardest position to predict. Jayson Molumby, who started both games in the last window, is suspended. Will Smallbone, who featured off the bench away to Portugal and from the outset against Armenia, is out with a long-term hamstring injury. Jason Knight, another obvious midfield option, also cannot play due to an abductor injury.
So the central midfield options are seemingly as follows: Conor Coventry (Charlton Athletic), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), Andrew Moran (LAFC), Jamie McGrath (Hibernian).
McGrath can presumably be ruled out, given that he was a late call-up and not in the original squad.
Choosing Coventry would be a surprise, as he is uncapped, but the ex-Ireland U21 international has made an encouraging start to life in the Championship for newly promoted Charlton, playing all 15 games for the ninth-place team.
Moran is similarly inexperienced, with just three caps to his name, and many people would see him as more of an attacking midfielder; plus, he has not started an MLS game since 13 October.
Jack Taylor did start the 2-1 loss to Armenia, but was taken off at half-time and has invariably been used as an impact sub by Hallgrímsson.
Nonetheless, he has got plenty of game time in the Championship, featuring 10 times for Ipswich this season and appears the most likely candidate for that midfield berth alongside Cullen.
Taylor also has 32 Premier League appearances under his belt — McGrath, Coventry and Moran have a combined total of two (Coventry and Moran have both had one late cameo each). That could be another factor in the manager’s thinking, against a side of Portugal’s calibre.
Attack
The attack is only slightly easier to guess than the midfield.
In the two deeper roles, away to Portugal, Hallgrímsson went with Festy Ebosele and Chiedozie Ogbene, while the latter was on the bench for the Armenia game, with Finn Azaz preferred, and it’ll probably be two from those three again.
Mikey Johnston, although he has impressed at times for West Brom in the Championship this season, hasn’t really done enough in an Ireland jersey to warrant a starting spot in such a pivotal game.
Ogbene, by contrast, has caused Portugal problems in the past.
Ireland aren’t expected to have much possession against Roberto Martinez’s side, which is why Hallgrímsson may prefer the pace and dynamism of Ogbene and Ebosele over Finn Azaz’s creativity, though it would be no surprise to see the latter start the second game just like in the last window.
Up front, with Evan Ferguson not fit enough to feature, it appears to be a choice between Troy Parrott and Adam Idah — Johnny Kenny’s status as a late call-up suggests he is further down the pecking order.
Idah has six goals for Ireland in 35 appearances compared to five in 31 for Parrott.
But the Dubliner has had the much better season at club level, registering 13 goals in 14 matches for AZ Alkmaar. Idah, by contrast, has two in 17 for Swansea/Celtic, and that may give Parrott the edge for selection on Thursday.
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Brentford), Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (Everton)
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Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Jake O’Brien (Everton), Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers), Liam Scales (Celtic), John Egan (Hull City), Ryan Manning (Southampton)*, Kevin O’Toole (New York City)
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion)*, Finn Azaz (Southampton), Conor Coventry (Charlton Athletic), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), Andrew Moran (LAFC), Jamie McGrath (Hibernian)
Attackers: Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Adam Idah (Swansea City FC), Johnny Kenny (Celtic), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion), Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United), Festy Ebosele (İstanbul Başakşehir)
*Suspended for the first match against Portugal.
Fixtures – FIFA World Cup 26 Qualifying
13/11 – Republic of Ireland v Portugal, Aviva Stadium. 7.45pm
16/11 – Hungary v Republic of Ireland, Puskas Arena, 2pm (Irish Time)
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Goalkeeper/defence
Caoimhín Kelleher is virtually certain to start in goal, barring a late injury, having played every Premier League minute for Keith Andrews’ Brentford so far.
In defence, it would be a surprise if Heimir Hallgrímsson deviated from the three centre-backs that started both games in the last window.
Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, and Dara O’Shea have all been regulars at club level (although O’Brien did not start Everton’s 2-0 win over Fulham on Saturday) and are expected to feature again.
That means the likes of John Egan and Jimmy Dunne, who have played consistently in the Championship this season with Hull City and QPR, will probably be held in reserve.
Wing-backs
Seamus Coleman has not played a minute of competitive action since the last international window, having been kept on the bench at Everton for much of this season.
Yet the 37-year-old was one of Ireland’s standout performers in Ireland’s last round of games, with his influence particularly noticeable in the narrow 1-0 loss away to Portugal.
There also aren’t many obvious alternatives in the right wing-back spot (assuming Hallgrímsson persists with five at the back), so the Donegal native should get the nod, especially with his main selection rival, Matt Doherty, unavailable.
Ryan Manning’s suspension complicates matters on the left.
With Robbie Brady and Callum O’Dowda also unavailable, through injury, Hallgrímsson’s options are further limited, which partially explains the surprise call-up for New York City FC’s Kevin O’Toole.
But picking an uncapped player from the outset for such a big game would represent a significant risk.
It seems more likely that the Ireland boss will place his faith in Liam Scales, who primarily plays as a left-sided centre-back these days with Celtic, but has no shortage of experience lining out at wing-back, particularly in his time at Shamrock Rovers.
Midfield
Josh Cullen, who has played in all 11 of Burnley’s Premier League fixtures this season, has tended to be one of the first names on the teamsheet when available to play for Ireland in recent years, and that is unlikely to change for this crunch window.
Who plays alongside Cullen is the hardest position to predict. Jayson Molumby, who started both games in the last window, is suspended. Will Smallbone, who featured off the bench away to Portugal and from the outset against Armenia, is out with a long-term hamstring injury. Jason Knight, another obvious midfield option, also cannot play due to an abductor injury.
So the central midfield options are seemingly as follows: Conor Coventry (Charlton Athletic), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), Andrew Moran (LAFC), Jamie McGrath (Hibernian).
McGrath can presumably be ruled out, given that he was a late call-up and not in the original squad.
Choosing Coventry would be a surprise, as he is uncapped, but the ex-Ireland U21 international has made an encouraging start to life in the Championship for newly promoted Charlton, playing all 15 games for the ninth-place team.
Moran is similarly inexperienced, with just three caps to his name, and many people would see him as more of an attacking midfielder; plus, he has not started an MLS game since 13 October.
Jack Taylor did start the 2-1 loss to Armenia, but was taken off at half-time and has invariably been used as an impact sub by Hallgrímsson.
Nonetheless, he has got plenty of game time in the Championship, featuring 10 times for Ipswich this season and appears the most likely candidate for that midfield berth alongside Cullen.
Taylor also has 32 Premier League appearances under his belt — McGrath, Coventry and Moran have a combined total of two (Coventry and Moran have both had one late cameo each). That could be another factor in the manager’s thinking, against a side of Portugal’s calibre.
Attack
The attack is only slightly easier to guess than the midfield.
In the two deeper roles, away to Portugal, Hallgrímsson went with Festy Ebosele and Chiedozie Ogbene, while the latter was on the bench for the Armenia game, with Finn Azaz preferred, and it’ll probably be two from those three again.
Mikey Johnston, although he has impressed at times for West Brom in the Championship this season, hasn’t really done enough in an Ireland jersey to warrant a starting spot in such a pivotal game.
Ogbene, by contrast, has caused Portugal problems in the past.
Ireland aren’t expected to have much possession against Roberto Martinez’s side, which is why Hallgrímsson may prefer the pace and dynamism of Ogbene and Ebosele over Finn Azaz’s creativity, though it would be no surprise to see the latter start the second game just like in the last window.
Up front, with Evan Ferguson not fit enough to feature, it appears to be a choice between Troy Parrott and Adam Idah — Johnny Kenny’s status as a late call-up suggests he is further down the pecking order.
Idah has six goals for Ireland in 35 appearances compared to five in 31 for Parrott.
But the Dubliner has had the much better season at club level, registering 13 goals in 14 matches for AZ Alkmaar. Idah, by contrast, has two in 17 for Swansea/Celtic, and that may give Parrott the edge for selection on Thursday.
Ireland XI: Caoimhín Kelleher; Jake O’Brien, Nathan Collins, Dara O’Shea, Seamus Coleman, Liam Scales; Josh Cullen, Jack Taylor; Festy Ebosele, Chiedozie Ogbene, Troy Parrott.
Republic of Ireland Squad – Portugal/Hungary
Goalkeepers: Caoimhin Kelleher (Brentford), Gavin Bazunu (Southampton), Mark Travers (Everton)
Defenders: Seamus Coleman (Everton), Nathan Collins (Brentford), Dara O’Shea (Ipswich Town), Jake O’Brien (Everton), Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers), Liam Scales (Celtic), John Egan (Hull City), Ryan Manning (Southampton)*, Kevin O’Toole (New York City)
Midfielders: Josh Cullen (Burnley), Jayson Molumby (West Bromwich Albion)*, Finn Azaz (Southampton), Conor Coventry (Charlton Athletic), Jack Taylor (Ipswich Town), Andrew Moran (LAFC), Jamie McGrath (Hibernian)
Attackers: Troy Parrott (AZ Alkmaar), Adam Idah (Swansea City FC), Johnny Kenny (Celtic), Mikey Johnston (West Bromwich Albion), Chiedozie Ogbene (Sheffield United), Festy Ebosele (İstanbul Başakşehir)
*Suspended for the first match against Portugal.
Fixtures – FIFA World Cup 26 Qualifying
13/11 – Republic of Ireland v Portugal, Aviva Stadium. 7.45pm
16/11 – Hungary v Republic of Ireland, Puskas Arena, 2pm (Irish Time)
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heimir halgrimsson looking ahead Soccer Ireland Republic Portugal