ItaIy v Northern Ireland preview

McCann: Set to skipper side

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Northern Ireland take a depleted and ultimately inexperienced squad to face world champions Italy in a friendly in Pisa on Saturday.

David Healy, Grant McCann and Damien Johnson are the only players in the squad to have over 20 caps, with McCann likely to captain the side at the weekend.

Both sides top their respective World Cup qualifying groups but it is perhaps fair to say that Nigel Worthington's men have yet to face a test as tough as the one they are set to come up against on Saturday, despite Italy manager Marcelo Lippi naming a somewhat untried squad.

Lippi has given a number of his more established stars time off, a decision which may come as a surprise to some with the Confederations Cup - which Italy are participating in along with Brazil and Spain - just 10 days away.

However despite the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Daniele De Rossi and Luca Toni being just some of the notable names absent, Italy just shade their opponents in terms of experience.

Craig Cathcart is the latest player to withdraw from the Northern Ireland squad through injury, leaving Worthington with nine uncapped players in his 18-man squad.

Inexperience

Youngsters Shane Duffy (Everton), Shane Ferguson (Newcastle) and Corry Evans (Manchester United), brother of United centre-half Jonny, have not even played for their clubs this term but all three are set to feature at some stage on Saturday.

Five in Worthington's squad play their football in the Irish League with Linfield duo Alan Mannus and Robert Garrett joined by Crusaders pair Colin Coates and Martin Donnelly, along with Coleraine's Stephen Carson.

Goalkeeper Mannus may have to make do with a place on the bench, with Partick Thistle's Jonathan Tuffey expected to start.

Italy have named nine uncapped players in their squad in goalkeeper Federico Marchetti (Cagliari), defenders Mattia Cassani (Palermo), David Santon (Inter) and Andrea Esposito (Lecce), midfielders Gaetano D'Agostino (Udinese), Marco Biagianti (Catania) and Daniele Galloppa (Siena) and strikers Sergio Pellissier (Chievo) and Giuseppe Mascara (Catania).

World Cup winner Gennaro Gattuso has been called up to add a bit of steel to the midfield, despite the AC Milan star missing most of the season through injury.