Northern Ireland face Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo on Monday in the second of two back-to-back away games in the Nations League.
Here, Press Association Sport looks at five talking points ahead of the game.
Woes on the road
Relegation not a real worry?
Striker shortage
76′ It’s a debut for Kyle Vassell! ?? He replaces George Saville. Debut goal…?? #GAWA
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) October 12, 2018
When Will Grigg injured his hamstring in the dying moments of Friday’s 1-0 defeat to Austria, it left Michael O’Neill with only two fit strikers in the squad. Liam Boyce missed the match with a knee injury, while we’ve not yet heard the end of Kyle Lafferty’s surprise withdrawal on the eve of this international window. Josh Magennis started in Vienna and will surely lead the line again in Sarajevo, while Rotherham striker Kyle Vassell – who made his debut off the bench on Friday – will likely be involved. But Michael O’Neill has also said he wants to freshen up in the wide positions, where Gavin Whyte could come in to offer another goal threat.
Peacock-Farrell gets O’Neill’s backing
Not the result we wanted. Time to focus on Monday night. We go again ?? #gawa https://t.co/kOAJswlsMx
— B Peacock-Farrell (@bailey_pf) October 13, 2018
Bailey Peacock-Farrell was guilty of a mental error in Vienna when he picked up a Jonny Evans backpass despite little pressure to gift Austria a dangerous indirect free-kick inside the box. The Leeds goalkeeper was also involved in the mix-up which led to Bosnia’s second goal last month, but O’Neill has given his full backing to the 21-year-old. “We can scrutinise Bailey’s performance but he’s a goalkeeper with massive potential,” O’Neill said. “I’ve seen very experienced goalkeepers do the same in a game. It’s a big learning curve for Bailey. He’s coming in, he’s still young enough to play in the U21s but he’s handled himself very well. We have to play him, we have to develop him. And that’s what we’ll do. I attach no blame to him really for anything to date. We’re very lucky to have a goalkeeper of that quality we can develop for the future.”
Green and White Army on the road
Thank you to the 2,000 members of the #GAWA that travelled to Vienna. You made us proud tonight! ??? #GAWA pic.twitter.com/VvBKe3TdeM
— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) October 12, 2018
More than 2,000 Northern Ireland fans were inside the Ernst Happel Stadium on Friday, making themselves heard throughout the match, and a similar number is expected in Sarajevo on Monday. Some have travelled across the world to be here, with fans turning up from as far away as Vancouver, New Orleans and even New Zealand, suggesting Northern Ireland’s recent struggles away from home have done nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the Green and White Army.
