MICK MCCARTHY HAS reverted to the tried and trusted as he has named his side to face Denmark in tonight’s decisive Euro 2020 qualifier.
There are three changes from the side that lost in Switzerland last month, with Conor Hourihane returning to the side alongside David McGoldrick. Matt Doherty replaces the suspended Seamus Coleman.
Alan Browne keeps his place, and he is likely to line up on the right of the front three with Hourihane slotting into midfield. Formation-wise, it looks like a 4-5-1/4-3-3 from Ireland.
The team in full:
Randolph; Doherty, Dufy (captain), Egan, Stevens; Whelan, Hendrick, Hourihane; Browne, McGoldrick, McClean.
Troy Parrott and Jack Byrne are among the substitutes, with only Callum O’Dowda and Scott Hogan missing out on the matchday squad.
Denmark, meanwhile, also make three changes from the side that battered Gibraltar 6-0 ahead of this game. Dalsgaard, Poulsen and Cornelius return for a side captained by Simon Kjaer but likely to be inspired by Christian Eriksen.
Schmeichel; Dalsgaard, Jorgensen, Kjaer, Styger Larsen; Schone, Delaney; Poulsen, Eriksen, Braithwaite; Cornelius
The permutations for tonight are straightforward. Ireland must win to qualify from the group, while a draw will be enough to qualify Denmark. Both sides are guaranteed a place in the Nations League play-offs regardless of tonight’s result, although qualifying via that route will require winning two, back-to-back games.
Mick McCarthy said yesterday that he hadn’t yet given the play-offs any thought, and that he “would prefer to get it done tonight.”
Kick-off at the Aviva Stadium is at 7.45pm.