5 talking points as Northern Ireland end Nations League campaign in Luxembourg

Michael O’Neill’s Northern Ireland side will finish their Nations League campaign away to Luxembourg (Liam McBurney/PA) - (PA Wire)

Northern Ireland play the final game of their Nations League campaign away to Luxembourg on Monday.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the key talking points head of the game.

Finish the job

🥶🎯 #GAWA pic.twitter.com/aUglp6PAhi

— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) November 16, 2024

Friday’s 2-0 win over Belarus has put Northern Ireland two points clear of Bulgaria going into their final fixture and a draw will be enough at the Stade de Luxembourg for Michael O’Neill’s men to earn promotion back to League B. Northern Ireland have not topped the standings in any competition since qualifying for Euro 2016 and although a campaign in the third tier of the Nations League does not carry anything like the same weight, it would still be an important marker for a young squad.

Win on the road

Ice cold 🥶🎯 #GAWA pic.twitter.com/CuUJwixmON

— Northern Ireland (@NorthernIreland) November 15, 2024

Northern Ireland have reached this point with a perfect record at Windsor Park, scoring nine and conceding none in three straight wins at home. Things have been different on the road, where they suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Bulgaria in September before being frustrated by Belarus in a 0-0 draw – played behind closed doors – in Hungary last month. O’Neill has now challenged his players to show they can win away from home before they go into next year’s World Cup qualifiers.

Problems at the back

Ciaron Brown is suspended for Monday’s match in Luxembourg (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Defence was already a concern going into Friday’s game, with Paddy McNair and Eoin Toal injured and Daniel Ballard managing his fitness after six weeks out and so the late, controversial, yellow card for Ciaron Brown – which leaves him suspended for Monday’s match – was a real blow. Ballard clocked 70 minutes and should be fit to go again, but O’Neill needs somebody else to come into the back three if he is not going to change shape. Ruairi McConville made his debut with five minutes to go at Windsor Park, but is the 19-year-old ready to start? Kofi Balmer is another option.

Manage confidence

Northern Ireland have scored seven goals in their last two games (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

Confidence is understandably sky high within the Northern Ireland camp following back-to-back home wins over Bulgaria and Belarus which saw seven goals. But the older heads in the squad have been urging their young team-mates to make sure they stay humble and do not get carried away with recent successes – there is still a job to be done.

Pierce is the new number one

Pierce Charles (pictured) has kept his place in the Northern Ireland side even with Bailey Peacock-Farrell back (Liam McBurney/PA) (PA Wire)

O’Neill stuck with teenager Pierce Charles in goal on Friday, despite his long-term number one Bailey Peacock-Farrell returning from injury. The manager said it was not a difficult decision to keep faith with a goalkeeper who kept two clean sheets in his first two games and impressed with his distribution. Charles made that three clean sheets on Friday, and it looks like being his job to lose. “Pierce hasn’t done anything to merit being taken out of the team and none of the other goalies have done enough to warrant that decision,” O’Neill said.