Corry Evans: Northern Ireland midfielder ruled out of Euro 2020 play-off final

Evans was forced off early in Blackburn's 3-1 win over QPR on Saturday

Midfielder Corry Evans will miss Northern Ireland's Euro 2020 play-off final on Thursday having suffered a hamstring injury.

Evans was forced off after less than five minutes of Blackburn Rovers' 3-1 win over QPR on Saturday.

Rovers boss Tony Mowbray confirmed Evans, who will have a scan to assess the severity of the injury, appears set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Evans has won 64 caps for Northern Ireland since making his debut in 2009.

It is a considerable blow for NI manager Ian Baraclough to lose one of his most experienced campaigners, who wore the captain's armband during the second half of their most recent international outing, against Norway last month.

George Saville missed Middlesbrough's goalless draw with Brentford in the Championship on Saturday, with manager Neil Warnock explaining the midfielder had to withdraw from the squad for a family emergency.

Evans sustained a fractured skull in January but made a remarkably quick recovery to return to action in June.

Alongside captain Steven Davis he has become a fixture of Northern Ireland's midfield, and started in their play-off semi-final win over Bosnia-Herzegovina last month.

"I think he's obviously upset because he had a massive game for Northern Ireland," Blackburn boss Mowbray told the club website.

"But now he obviously can't go because it doesn't look a minor hamstring injury."

Northern Ireland host Slovakia at Windsor Park on Thursday night, for which more than 1,000 fans will be permitted inside the stadium, in the hope of reaching their second consecutive European Championships.