Martin O'Neill has named the Ireland team to face Wales in this evening's Nations League clash with Wales at the Aviva Stadium.
The team shows two changes - Shane Long and Callum O'Dowda and drop out for Callum Robinson and Aiden O'Brien. The formation is anyone's guess - but we're going to take a stab at O'Neill replicating the 3-5-2 of last Saturday, with Jeff Hendrick dropping deep to allow Robinson and O'Brien partner each other up front.
Ireland team to face Wales
Randolph; Doherty; Keogh, Duffy, K Long; McClean; Arter, Hendrick, Christie; Robinson, O'Brien
BREAKING: Two changes for Ireland as Callum Robinson and Aiden O'Brien replace Shane Long and Callum O'Dowda! #COYBIG #IRLWAL pic.twitter.com/KcCYic9w2d
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) October 16, 2018
Callum O'Dowda misses out with a head injury sustained in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Denmark, while Seamus Coleman, Robbie Brady, Stephen Ward and Jon Walters are all out through injury, too.
If Ireland are to sustain realistic ambitions of topping the group they need to win tonight.
Given that the ties in the group standings are decided by the head-to-head record between the sides tied, a draw would make it impossible for Ireland to top the group. Avoiding relegation should be Ireland's main aim, however: a win makes that likely, while a draw would leave us needing to win away to Denmark to avoid the drop.
Lose tonight, however, and relegation is probable - Ireland would need Denmark to lose their final two games to beat the drop. Those games are against us in Aarhus and away to Wales in Cardiff.
Kick off at the Aviva is at 7.45pm this evening.
