Caoimhin Kelleher has had a decent start to his Brentford career, playing every Premier League game, and will almost certainly play barring a late injury.
How the backline will look is less predictable.
With the likes of Matt Doherty, Robbie Brady and Callum O’Dowda all unavailable, there aren’t too many options at full-back.
Heimir Hallgrímsson started with a three-man backline against Armenia, but he may well revert to his normal four, given the calibre of the opposition.
Jake O’Brien would probably be deployed at right-back, which is where he started the Hungary game.
His Everton teammate Seamus Coleman has generally been held in reserve by the Toffees, making only two 89th-minute cameos in the Premier League this season, so it would be a surprise if the veteran started instead of the Corkonian, given the former’s lack of game time.
Ryan Manning has tended to be used further forward, despite having played left-back at club level many times. He started the Hungary match as a left winger and played left wing-back in Yerevan.
Will Ferry most likely will not be handed a full international debut in such a big game, despite his encouraging start to the season for a Dundee United side who are fourth in the Scottish Premiership.
Hallgrímsson has not been afraid to play centre-halves as full-backs in the past. Dara O’Shea operated as a right-back against England, to cite one example.
So it would be no big surprise to see Liam Scales deployed at left-back, where the versatile Celtic star has featured plenty of times before during his career.
Nathan Collins was picked as a defensive midfielder once before — against a similar calibre of opposition in England.
That experiment worked better than the scoreline suggests. Ireland held their own for 51 minutes at Wembley before an unfortunate red card for Scales and a penalty initiated a second-half collapse by the visitors.
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With Ireland needing as many defensive players on the pitch in Portugal, Hallgrímsson has said it is an option that has been considered.
The downside, of course, of going with centre-backs in the full-back and defensive-midfield positions is that it wouldn’t leave an abundance of options in the literal centre-half position.
Dara O’Shea will almost certainly be part of the backline, having been a regular for club and country in recent times.
John Egan was recalled after an absence of nearly two years from the national team, and he could go straight into the starting XI.
The 32-year-old missed over a year of action through injury and subsequently struggled to get game time after moving to Burnley, featuring just nine times for the Clarets.
But a move to Hull has rejuvenated Egan’s career. He has played eight times for them in the Championship this season. In addition, the Cork native scored the opening goal the last time Ireland played Portugal away before a Cristiano Ronaldo late show undid Stephen Kenny’s team.
Midfield
Josh Cullen has been an ever-present when available for Hallgrímsson, and Saturday is not expected to be any different.
The 29-year-old is one of only five players in the squad who could be considered a Premier League regular. He has started all seven of Burnley’s top-flight matches this season.
Jack Taylor started in Armenia, but he appears to have fallen out of favour at club level, as he has not played a competitive match since then, so he will probably lose his place in the starting XI, having been substituted at half-time in Yerevan.
That leaves a choice between Jayson Molumby and Will Smallbone, neither of whom made the squad in the last window but have been drafted in the absence of Killian Phillips, Jason Knight and Bosun Lawal, with the latter duo injured.
Molumby brings energy and grit to proceedings, while Smallbone is the more creative option, so this game may be more suited to the West Brom star’s skillset.
Wingers
Ryan Manning pictured training during the week. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland are not short of options on the wing, even with Sammie Szmodics — who would have been a strong contender to start — ruled out.
But you suspect Hallgrímsson might also make these selections with an eye on keeping Portugal at bay.
Ryan Manning was arguably Ireland’s standout performer at left wing in the 2-2 draw against Hungary, with his deliveries from the left causing the opposition plenty of problems.
But the Southampton star was less effective as a left wing-back in Armenia. He has tended to do his best work for Ireland further forward, which is why Hallgrímsson may use him again in a more attacking position.
Ogbene was not at his best on the right in Yerevan, and it still looks as if he is finding his feet again after recovering from a long-term injury.
Mikey Johnston and Kasey McAteer have generally been used as impact subs by Hallgrímsson.
Johnston has not started since the Bulgaria Nations League games. McAteer, meanwhile, is still awaiting his full competitive debut, having come off the bench in the Hungary and Armenia fixtures.
One slightly under-the-radar option to start might be Festy Ebosele. The 23-year-old has been in good form in Turkey with İstanbul Başakşehir. The Wexford native normally plays as a right-back or wing-back, but he was picked as a right midfielder versus England, and he would offer a degree of protection to the men behind him that wingers don’t always provide.
Attack
Hallgrímsson has only gone with one out-and-out striker in both qualifiers so far, and Saturday is unlikely to be any different.
Finn Azaz started both the Hungary and Armenia games just off Evan Ferguson.
But the attacking midfielder, who joined Southampton from Middlesbrough in August in a deal reportedly worth up to €17.3 million, didn’t significantly influence either game and is in danger of losing his place.
Troy Parrott’s availability is a big boost for Ireland, but the AZ Alkmaar star has just 20 minutes of football under his belt since August, so he is not expected to start.
Evan Ferguson may still be awaiting his first competitive goal for Roma, but he scored in both games for Ireland in the last window.
The 20-year-old’s performances were one of the few positives from Ireland’s last international window, and a recent ankle injury is not expected to seriously impact on Ferguson’s participation, so he appears the most likely man to star ahead of Adam Idah, who will hope to replicate his feat of being the late goalscorer off the bench in the Hungary game.
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Updated at 23.06
Goalkeeper/defence
Caoimhin Kelleher has had a decent start to his Brentford career, playing every Premier League game, and will almost certainly play barring a late injury.
How the backline will look is less predictable.
With the likes of Matt Doherty, Robbie Brady and Callum O’Dowda all unavailable, there aren’t too many options at full-back.
Heimir Hallgrímsson started with a three-man backline against Armenia, but he may well revert to his normal four, given the calibre of the opposition.
Jake O’Brien would probably be deployed at right-back, which is where he started the Hungary game.
His Everton teammate Seamus Coleman has generally been held in reserve by the Toffees, making only two 89th-minute cameos in the Premier League this season, so it would be a surprise if the veteran started instead of the Corkonian, given the former’s lack of game time.
Ryan Manning has tended to be used further forward, despite having played left-back at club level many times. He started the Hungary match as a left winger and played left wing-back in Yerevan.
Will Ferry most likely will not be handed a full international debut in such a big game, despite his encouraging start to the season for a Dundee United side who are fourth in the Scottish Premiership.
Hallgrímsson has not been afraid to play centre-halves as full-backs in the past. Dara O’Shea operated as a right-back against England, to cite one example.
So it would be no big surprise to see Liam Scales deployed at left-back, where the versatile Celtic star has featured plenty of times before during his career.
Nathan Collins was picked as a defensive midfielder once before — against a similar calibre of opposition in England.
That experiment worked better than the scoreline suggests. Ireland held their own for 51 minutes at Wembley before an unfortunate red card for Scales and a penalty initiated a second-half collapse by the visitors.
With Ireland needing as many defensive players on the pitch in Portugal, Hallgrímsson has said it is an option that has been considered.
The downside, of course, of going with centre-backs in the full-back and defensive-midfield positions is that it wouldn’t leave an abundance of options in the literal centre-half position.
Dara O’Shea will almost certainly be part of the backline, having been a regular for club and country in recent times.
John Egan was recalled after an absence of nearly two years from the national team, and he could go straight into the starting XI.
The 32-year-old missed over a year of action through injury and subsequently struggled to get game time after moving to Burnley, featuring just nine times for the Clarets.
But a move to Hull has rejuvenated Egan’s career. He has played eight times for them in the Championship this season. In addition, the Cork native scored the opening goal the last time Ireland played Portugal away before a Cristiano Ronaldo late show undid Stephen Kenny’s team.
Midfield
Josh Cullen has been an ever-present when available for Hallgrímsson, and Saturday is not expected to be any different.
The 29-year-old is one of only five players in the squad who could be considered a Premier League regular. He has started all seven of Burnley’s top-flight matches this season.
Jack Taylor started in Armenia, but he appears to have fallen out of favour at club level, as he has not played a competitive match since then, so he will probably lose his place in the starting XI, having been substituted at half-time in Yerevan.
That leaves a choice between Jayson Molumby and Will Smallbone, neither of whom made the squad in the last window but have been drafted in the absence of Killian Phillips, Jason Knight and Bosun Lawal, with the latter duo injured.
Molumby brings energy and grit to proceedings, while Smallbone is the more creative option, so this game may be more suited to the West Brom star’s skillset.
Wingers
Ireland are not short of options on the wing, even with Sammie Szmodics — who would have been a strong contender to start — ruled out.
But you suspect Hallgrímsson might also make these selections with an eye on keeping Portugal at bay.
Ryan Manning was arguably Ireland’s standout performer at left wing in the 2-2 draw against Hungary, with his deliveries from the left causing the opposition plenty of problems.
But the Southampton star was less effective as a left wing-back in Armenia. He has tended to do his best work for Ireland further forward, which is why Hallgrímsson may use him again in a more attacking position.
Ogbene was not at his best on the right in Yerevan, and it still looks as if he is finding his feet again after recovering from a long-term injury.
Mikey Johnston and Kasey McAteer have generally been used as impact subs by Hallgrímsson.
Johnston has not started since the Bulgaria Nations League games. McAteer, meanwhile, is still awaiting his full competitive debut, having come off the bench in the Hungary and Armenia fixtures.
One slightly under-the-radar option to start might be Festy Ebosele. The 23-year-old has been in good form in Turkey with İstanbul Başakşehir. The Wexford native normally plays as a right-back or wing-back, but he was picked as a right midfielder versus England, and he would offer a degree of protection to the men behind him that wingers don’t always provide.
Attack
Hallgrímsson has only gone with one out-and-out striker in both qualifiers so far, and Saturday is unlikely to be any different.
Finn Azaz started both the Hungary and Armenia games just off Evan Ferguson.
But the attacking midfielder, who joined Southampton from Middlesbrough in August in a deal reportedly worth up to €17.3 million, didn’t significantly influence either game and is in danger of losing his place.
Troy Parrott’s availability is a big boost for Ireland, but the AZ Alkmaar star has just 20 minutes of football under his belt since August, so he is not expected to start.
Evan Ferguson may still be awaiting his first competitive goal for Roma, but he scored in both games for Ireland in the last window.
The 20-year-old’s performances were one of the few positives from Ireland’s last international window, and a recent ankle injury is not expected to seriously impact on Ferguson’s participation, so he appears the most likely man to star ahead of Adam Idah, who will hope to replicate his feat of being the late goalscorer off the bench in the Hungary game.
Possible Ireland XI: Kelleher; O’Brien, O’Shea, Egan, Scales; Collins; Molumby, Cullen, Manning, Ebosele; Ferguson.
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