N Ireland v Azerbaijan preview: Michael O'Neill's men look to leapfrog visitors
Friday 11 November 2016 20:42, UK
Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland face a vital home clash with Azerbaijan in World Cup qualifying on Friday, live on Sky Sports 1.
O'Neill's side, who have four points from their first three games, are three points behind Azerbaijan, who have started Group C with two wins and a draw.
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If Northern Ireland can win at Windsor Park, they will leapfrog Azerbaijan into second place, behind leaders Germany, who face San Marino on Friday.
Northern Ireland are on their best home run for 32 years, having won their last five games at Windsor Park.
Team news
O'Neill has suffered the loss of Jamie Ward and Stuart Dallas through injury for both this and next Tuesday's friendly clash against Croatia.
QPR striker Conor Washington is a doubt with a groin strain, having sat out of Thursday's training session at Windsor Park.
Ross County striker Liam Boyce was added to Northern Ireland squad late on Thursday evening, with Wigan striker Will Grigg also hoping for action in Belfast.
Midfielder Chris Brunt is back in the side for the first time in 13 months following his injury for West Brom last season.
A serious knee injury ended Brunt's season back in February and denied him a spot in the Euro 2016 squad when the 31-year-old utility man may have otherwise been considering a swansong in France.
Opta facts
This will be the fifth meeting on the international stage between these two nations, with both Northern Ireland and Azerbaijan winning once each (D2).
Indeed, the side playing at home has never lost in the four previous contests (W2 D2).
Northern Ireland's only previous victory against Azerbaijan came back in September 2005, courtesy of goals from Stuart Elliot and Warren Feeney.
O'Neill's side have failed to score in six of their last eight matches, netting four vs San Marino and two vs Ukraine.
However, the Green Army have won seven and lost none of their last nine fixtures on home soil.
Azerbaijan are one of four sides yet to concede a goal in European World Cup 2018 qualifiers (also England, Germany and Belgium).
Charlie's prediction
I think this will be an awkward one. Everyone anticipates that they'll win these sort of games comfortably because they did well in the Euros. Results will come their way but they still have to work their socks off.
Kyle Lafferty gets all the credit but Steve Davis is their star player by a mile. He's the one that dominates game and have the energy and craft that makes Northern Ireland tick.
These are awkward and sit in and frustrate, successfully so given they've recorded three successive clean sheet, so I'm going for Gareth McAuley, whose scoring record is brilliant, to see them get the win.
Charlie predicts: 1-0 and McAuley to score first (25/1 with Sky Bet)
