‘It’s inevitable we will lose players for the second leg’

leg through suspension, while 10 equally influential others named by O’Neill in his 34-strong provisional squad are on a yellow card.

They are: Darren Randolph, Cyrus Christie, Shane Duffy, Ciaran Clark, Stephen Ward, James McClean, Glenn Whelan, Harry Arter, Aiden McGeady and Daryl Murphy.

That number could rise to 11 as O’Neill is hopeful that Jon Walters (right), who is on the mend after a knee injury, may yet be on the flight to Copenhagen on November 9.

‘I haven’t put Jon in [the squad] but he’s making exceptional progress, so let’s see what the next 10 days brings,’ said O’Neill who hinted he would be less fearful of throwing Walters in against Denmark than the returning James McCarthy.

‘Jon has played a number of games this season and played for us in a number of recent matches. When James McCarthy came in earlier this month he hadn’t played since July,’ observed O’Neill.

For the Ireland captain Seamus Coleman, however, the play-offs have come ‘a month too soon’, according to O’Neill, who also admitted that he fears the accumulation of cards could disrupt his plans for the return leg at Aviva Stadium on November 14.

‘We were pleased to be drawn away first, the only problem is a lot of yellows on both sides and we feel it’s almost inevitable that we’ll lose some players for the second game.’

O’Neill will be praying that McClean does not become one of them.

While the left-winger is frustrated at his lack of first team exposure at club level, he is vital to O’Neill’s cause. ‘I’m sure James thinks he’s good enough to play in the West Brom team.

‘When he comes to us, he knows how important he’s become to us and I think he feels pretty special. ‘He’s proved it too. He’s been like the Jon Walters of the Euros,’ said O’Neill.

With Coleman out, Meyler suspended and Walters struggling, O’Neill could turn to McClean as his captain in Copenhagen next month.

O’Neill will prune the numbers back before the players arrive in Dublin to begin preparing for the play-offs on Monday week.

Danish manager Age Hareide, who used to rent a flat off O’Neill in their playing days together at Norwich City, will announce his squad next Tuesday.