Northern Ireland v Slovakia: Paddy McNair believes big-game experience will help home side

Paddy McNair is a key player for Ian Baraclough

Paddy McNair believes Northern Ireland will benefit from the big-game experience within the squad in Thursday's Euro 2020 play-off final.

NI face Slovakia at Windsor Park for a spot at next summer's finals.

McNair says Northern Ireland can draw on Euro 2016 and the later World Cup play-off defeat against Switzerland in Thursday's game in Belfast.

"We've been there and played in massive games, so I think there is a confidence," he said.

"Going into the Greece game in 2015 it was a bit more new to everyone. Everyone believes that we can get through.

"It's not just international football, we've got a lot of lads who have played big games at club level as well.

"All that experience is brilliant. Having an experienced squad just gives us that little bit extra."

Within months of returning from Euro 2016, McNair had left Manchester United for Sunderland and then seen his first season at the Stadium of Light cruelly cut short by a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury.

"The knee injury set me back a year to 18 months from where I should have been," he said. "That injury gave me a chance to step away from it as things happened really fast for me.

"I was playing in the under-23s and then I was in the Premier League (with Manchester United) and qualifying for the Euros. It was a high then obviously a big low when I got the injury.

"I worked hard to get back from that and in the last two and a half years I have really kicked on and I am happy with the way I'm playing for club and country.

"At 25 if I can qualify for another major tournament that would be unbelievable."