Wales v Republic of Ireland: Wales boss Chris Coleman dismisses leg break grudge

Wales left-back Neil Taylor was sent off for his tackle that broke Seamus Coleman's leg in Dublin

Chris Coleman expects a physical battle with Republic of Ireland in Monday's crunch World Cup qualifier in Cardiff.

But the Wales manager does not expect any lingering bad feeling from their encounter last March, when Republic captain Seamus Coleman had his leg broken in a challenge with Neil Taylor.

Taylor was sent off for that tackle but Wales held on for a 0-0 draw in Dublin.

"You never want to see that happen, but there won't be any mention of the unfortunate incident," Coleman said.

"But even before what happened it was a physical game and we expected it to be. We were all absolutely devastated at what happened.

"So even without the unfortunate incident in Dublin with Tayls and Seamus, this was always going to be a game where there will be two teams locking horns."

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The winners at Cardiff City Stadium on Monday night will finish at least second in Group D, with a draw enough for Wales to end up in that position

However, a draw would not guarantee Wales reaching the play-offs. But a win to finish second will be enough to secure one of the eight play-off places on offer from the nine groups, after Bosnia-Herzegovina lost to Belgium in Group H on Saturday.

But with Group D leaders Serbia only a point ahead of Wales and two ahead of the Republic after their 3-2 defeat in Austria, should they slip up again to Georgia on Monday an automatic spot for Russia 2018 is there for the taking by one of the two Celtic nations.

Given how much is riding on the last group game, Wales boss Coleman expects a fierce encounter.

"This is the last game of the campaign, all or nothing for both teams," he said.

"There will be lots of contact in the game, it will be physical, good players, and not much in it.

"We're just going to go with our game-plan and make sure we're 100% focused on doing what we're good at."

Friday's 1-0 win in Georgia extended the record of the Euro 2016 semi-finalists to only one defeat in 21 qualifiers.

After successive victories against Austria, Moldova and Georgia, Wales could now make it four wins in a row for the first time in 36 years and take another step towards their first World Cup finals since 1958.

"It's all about performance and the game-plan and executing that," Coleman said.

"The last three games we've had, we had to wait until the last 15 minutes - against Moldova away, we beat Austria with something special, and we've gone to Georgia, a tough place, and ground it out to get a result.

"That's what it's about. It's not always going to be that you win two or three nil, you play fantastic football - Baleo (Gareth Bale) puts in the top corner and Rambo (Aaron Ramsey) runs the game."

Bale will again be missing on Monday with the calf injury which ruled him out of the Georgia trip.

But the performances up front of Tom Lawrence - the match-winner in Tbilisi - and Ben Woodburn - who turned the games against Austria and Moldova off the bench - showed that Wales now possess extra attacking options.

"I can't wait for the Ireland game now, the atmosphere is going to be unbelievable," Lawrence said after his stunning 25-yard winner in Georgia.

"Everyone in the squad is there to do a job, I've done mine in previous games and then Ben has come on and done his. We're all in this together."