Northern Ireland vs Germany Preview: Where to Watch, Live Stream, Kick Off Time & Team News
Northern Ireland host Germany in a crunch Euro 2020 qualifying match in Group C on Monday evening, with both sides in need of the points.
Michael O'Neill's side currently top the group, having won their first four matches. Germany, meanwhile, are second in the group and are three points behind the hosts, but they have opened the door to the Netherlands, who comfortably overcame Joachim Low's men on Friday evening.
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With both sides keen to put on a show and claim the points, it could be a fascinating spectacle.
Where to Watch
When Is Kick Off? | Monday 9 September |
What Time Is Kick Off? | 19:45 (BST) |
Where Is it Played? | Windsor Park |
TV Channel/Live Stream? | Sky Sports Main Event (UK) |
Referee? | TBC |
Where to Buy Tickets
Tickets for the game are available via the official Irish Football Association website, with tickets currently on general sale, meaning they are still available to be purchased.
If these tickets were to sell out, more will be available via resale if supporters who have already purchased a ticket are unable to attend the game themselves notify the Northern Ireland ticket office.
Team News
Northern Ireland will be without Rangers winger Jordan Jones as he prepares for up to six weeks on the sidelines, following a rash challenge in the Old Firm derby. The hosts will also be without Hearts defender Michael Smith, who has since pulled out of the squad due to a a hamstring injury.
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Liam Boyce did not feature against Luxembourg on Thursday, casting doubt over whether he will be fit to face Germany. However, O'Neill has no other injury concerns to contend with for the upcoming fixture.
The away side will continue to be without Premier League duo Leroy Sane and Antonio Rudiger, but there are no fresh injury concerns. Low may be tempted to tinker with his starting lineup, considering the manner of their defeat in the last match - with players such as Kai Havertz and Luca Waldschmidt pushing for a spot.
Predicted Lineups
Northern Ireland | Peacock-Farrell; McLaughlin, Cathcart, J. Evans, Lewis; McNair, C. Evans, Davis; Dallas, Washington, Lafferty |
Germany | Neuer; Sule, Tah, Ginter; Klostermann, Kimmich, Kroos, Schulz; Reus, Gnabry, Werner |
Head to Head Record
The two sides have faced each other on 17 occasions, with Germany boasting the better record.
Die Mannschaft have won 11 of the fixtures, while O'Neill's side have only recorded two wins. The two teams have also played out a draw on four occasions.
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The last meeting between the two saw Germany overcome Northern Ireland 3-1 in a World Cup qualifier back in 2017. Goals from Sebastian Rudy, Sandro Wagner and Joshua Kimmich were enough to see the away side claim the points on that occasion.
Recent Form
Northern Ireland most recently overcame Luxembourg in a friendly match on Thursday evening, winning 1-0 thanks to a disastrous own goal. O'Neill made eight changes to the side that beat Belarus in June, surprising the home support as it was a very youthful setup.
Key members of the squad such as Jonny Evans, Craig Cathcart and Conor Washington didn't make the match day squad as they were rested, but all are expected to return for the crunch match with Germany.
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Germany, meanwhile, struggled in their last outing and they now find themselves second in Group C, three points behind their next opponents. Low's men slumped to a tame defeat in their last match, which saw Netherlands beat them 4-2 on Friday evening.
Prior to the game against the Dutch, the Germans had won their last three fixtures - which included an 8-0 drubbing of Estonia and a win over the Netherlands.
Here's how the two sides have performed in their last five fixtures.
Northern Ireland | Germany |
Northern Ireland 1-0 Luxembourg (5/9) | Germany 2-4 Netherlands (6/9) |
Belarus 0-1 Northern Ireland (11/6) | Germany 8-0 Estonia (11/6) |
Estonia 1-2 Northern Ireland (8/6) | Belarus 0-2 Germany (8/6) |
Northern Ireland 2-1 Belarus (24/3) | Netherlands 2-3 Germany (24/3) |
Northern Ireland 2-0 Estonia (21/3) | Germany 1-1 Serbia (20/3) |
Prediction
Both sides understand the importance of picking up a result in this match. O'Neill's men understand that although they currently sit top of Group C, they will need to perform against both Germany and the Netherlands.
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However, Low's side will be keen to put the defeat to the Dutch behind them by claiming all three points here. It was a tame and uninventive performance last time out, meaning creativity and energy will be the key for a youthful German side.
Although the hosts are expected to pose a threat, Die Mannschaft should have too much power and quality.
Prediction: Northern Ireland 1-3 Germany
