Northern Ireland: What’s changed for Michael O’Neill since Nations League campaign?

The absence of Liverpool’s Conor Bradley and Sunderland’s Dan Ballard through injury will be keenly felt, and there have been changes among O’Neill’s defensive unit.

Portsmouth’s Terry Devlin is the only uncapped defender in the squad. The former Glentoran man has been getting regular minutes in the Championship, mostly at right-back although he can also play midfield.

Three others have changed clubs since last appearing in the green jersey.

With Josh Magennis only on the standby list for these friendlies, Paddy McNair is both the squad’s most-capped player and top scorer. The 29-year-old former Middlesbrough player was used only sparingly during his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion but, through four games, has played all but 35 minutes of San Diego FC’s Major League Soccer (MLS) campaign so far.

Aaron Donnelly made his international debut against Andorra in June when still a Nottingham Forest player but joined Dundee during the summer window. He spent the first half of the season on loan at Colchester United but was recalled by his parent club in January and has already made 11 starts for the Scottish Premiership side.

Another in the squad after a recent move is Ruairi McConville who earned his first two caps in November and has since left Brighton for Norwich City, making two appearances off the bench for the Canaries.

Trai Hume and Ciaron Brown continue to be relied upon heavily at Championship clubs Sunderland and Oxford United, while Eoin Toal is back in the side at League One Bolton Wanderers.

Also in the third tier, having been used as both a left and right-sided defender by O’Neill for Northern Ireland, Brodie Spencer has recently been turning out as a central defender for Huddersfield Town.