Euro 2020: O’Neill says avoiding Germany defeat would rank among great NI results

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Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill says avoiding defeat against Germany in Monday’s Euro 2020 qualifier would rank among the country’s greatest results.

O’Neill’s Group C leaders are in a battle with Germany and the Netherlands for the two qualification spots.

The four home and away autumn games against their qualification rivals start with Monday’s contest in Belfast.

“It [a positive result] would be right up there in terms of great Northern Ireland results,” said O’Neill.

“We’ve had big nights here in the past – the wins against England [2005] and Spain [2006] – but ultimately they never really led to anything.

“They didn’t lead to qualification. It was just a great experience and a great night for the fans. A result tomorrow night not only will be that but will also be a key factor in terms of qualification for Euro 2020.”

Gundogan and Schulz out of Germany squad

Germany’s 4-2 home defeat by the Dutch in Hamburg on Friday night kept Northern Ireland on top of the group following their opening four wins over Estonia and Belarus.

Of the German players who featured on Friday, Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan (flu) and Borussia Dortmund full-back Nico Schulz (foot injury) have been ruled out of Joachim Low’s squad.

O’Neill believes Friday’s result probably makes his team’s task even harder on Monday.

“There will be a massive reaction,” he added. “Those Germany players will be hurting from that result.

“But the four games we have left are massive opportunities.

“I said to the players that they are going to be four of the best games they will play in their international careers.

“We have to aspire to try and do everything to try and split those two nations.

“We are going to have to find a performance above anything this team has found in recent times.”

O’Neill has right-back selection call

With Hearts defender Michael Smith ruled out by injury, O’Neill must consider whether to deploy Sunderland’s Conor McLaughlin or Leeds’ Stuart Dallas at right-back, with a three-man defensive formation looking less likely give the absence of Gareth McAuley and retirement of Aaron Hughes.

O’Neill has had to pit his wits against Germany boss Low on three occasions in recent years with Michael McGovern’s goalkeeping heroics restricting Die Mannschaft to a 1-0 win at Euro 2016 before the Germans secured 2-0 and 3-1 victories in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.

Sebastian Rudy’s second-minute goal completely undermined O’Neill’s tactical plan in the game at Windsor Park in October 2017 and the Northern Ireland boss will be hoping his side can avoid such an early jolt on Monday.

“In many ways our approach to that game changed within the first 90 seconds,” he said. “There’s no doubt it rocked us that night.

“We are going to have to be very resolute. We are going to have to be very good without the ball and we are going to have to maximise whatever possession we get in the game.

“We want to try and play on the front foot. We want an aggressive performance and hopefully that is enough to get us a positive result.”