O’Neill: Steven is our Ronaldo
N IRELAND V GERMANY 7.45PM
MICHAEL O’NEILL says Steven Davis is Northern Ireland’s Cristiano Ronaldo and believes Germany are vulnerable.
Davis will win his 113th cap tonight to become his country’s most-capped outfield player.
And according to O’Neill his captain’s longevity and desire to play make him as valuable to Northern Ireland as Ronaldo is to Portugal.
He is backing the 34-year-old Rangers midfielder to eclipse Pat Jennings’ record of 119 Irish appearances.
Manager O’Neill said: “I was watching the game on Saturday night, watching Cristiano Ronaldo play at 34 for his country and what it meant to him.
“Steven deserves to be talked about in that breath because I think he’ll break Pat Jennings’ record.
“When he does hang up his boots he’ll be remembered as one of the greatest we’ve had.”
Davis helped Northern Ireland beat England at the start of his international career in 2005 and O’Neill’s men need another Windsor Park night like that against the Germans.
The hosts have lost their last seven games against them and O’Neill expects a reaction from Joachim Low’s side to their home defeat by Holland on Friday.
Low’s rebuilding plan took a knock as the Dutch exposed Germany’s new defence and O’Neill said: “They’ve made the decisions personnel-wise because they’re looking ahead, but are they more beatable? Possibly they are, but it doesn’t mean it’s going to be easier.” N IRELAND (probable): PeacockFarrell; Dallas, Cathcart, J Evans, Lewis; Saville, McNair, C Evans, Davis, Magennis; Washington. GERMANY (probable): Neuer; Krostermann, Ginter, Sule, Halstenberg; Kroos, Kimmich, Havertz; Reus, Werner, Gnabry.