Mick McCarthy’s Republic of Ireland head into their Euro 2020 qualifier in Denmark on Friday evening sitting proudly at the top of Group D.
But after opening their campaign with narrow victories over Gibraltar and Georgia in March, sterner tests lie ahead, with the Danes familiar foes after four previous meetings inside the last 18 months.
Here, Press Association Sport takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding the game at the Telia Parken Stadium.
Right old battle
Oh Captain, My Captain
Tonight, Seamus Coleman will become the latest men’s senior international to reach 50 caps#COYBIG #GIBIRL #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/NMnDrd8osk
— FAIreland ⚽️?? (@FAIreland) March 23, 2019
It is McCarthy’s misfortune to have perhaps his two most effective Premier League players fighting for the same right-back position. Skipper Seamus Coleman has made the spot his own but Matt Doherty starred for Wolves as a right-wing-back this season, and the manager understandably wants to get both men into his team if possible. By his own admission, playing the pair on the right in Gibraltar did not work, so either leaving one out, or finding the best way to accommodate both represents one of his biggest decisions.
Role for Robbie?
Evergreen Glenn
Aston Villa can this afternoon confirm the release of eight players. Thank you, and good luck. ?http://bit.ly/2XksTcy
Posted by Aston Villa FC on Saturday, June 1, 2019
Misery in Madrid
It just wasn’t meant to be. We lose out in the #UCLfinal. pic.twitter.com/32sijhEYjB
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 1, 2019
Much of the talk in the run-up to the game has centred around Denmark’s mercurial midfielder Christian Eriksen and how much of a toll Saturday night’s Champions League final defeat by Liverpool will have taken on the Tottenham playmaker. McCarthy, however – and every player asked to offer an opinion – have insisted what happened in Madrid will be irrelevant and they expect the man who famously scored a World Cup play-off hat-trick in Dublin in November 2017 to be as dangerous as ever.
The Gold-en boy
