'Unfair' on NI if Belarus game moved - O'Neill

Michael O'Neill is in his second spell as Northern Ireland manager

Michael O'Neill says it would be "unfair" if Northern Ireland's penultimate Nations League match with Belarus is moved away from Belfast.

A decision has yet to be taken by the UK government if Belarus' players and staff will be granted visas to play the match at Windsor Park on 15 November.

Belarus was included in the UK's sanctions against Russia, as the country has allowed its territory to be used by Russia's army to launch attacks into northern Ukraine.

The reverse fixture on Saturday was played behind closed doors in western Hungary due to restrictions on Belarus from Uefa, European football's governing body.

While Uefa's restrictions would not impact the game in Belfast, a venue in Europe would have to be secured if permission is not granted by the UK government for the game to take place in Belfast.

"It'll be unfair on us if we're not allowed [to play at Windsor Park], really," O'Neill said after Tuesday's 5-0 win over Bulgaria in Belfast.

"We'll end up with four away games, two of them at a neutral venue which is far from ideal."

O'Neill, who is in his second stint as manager after guiding Northern Ireland to Euro 2016, added the decision "is out of our hands".

"We'll have to deal with it," he said.

"The important thing was focusing on how we did tonight, the level of performance tonight and we take that into the next game wherever that may be."

Isaac Price scored his first Northern Ireland hat-trick as O'Neill's side hammered Bulgaria 5-0.

Price scored twice and Dimitar Mitov's own goal made it three before half-time.

Standard Liege midfielder Price sealed his hat-trick with a stunning 25-yard effort and Josh Magennis rounded off the scoring late on.

O'Neill said the players "have to enjoy" playing at Windsor Park with the victory over Bulgaria coming after a big, confidence-boosting win over Denmark at the tail end of 2023.

"The players have to enjoy playing here," the 55-year-old added.

"I said to them before the game that we may not get the chance to play here in November so to give the crowd something to remember.

"They certainly did in terms of level of performance.

"The most important thing is that when you step out here to play for your country that you have belief and you look forward to the situation, I think as young players the crowd gave them a lot."

Having conceded just one goal in four Nations League matches, O'Neill said that the positive traits from Tuesday's win must become "good habits".

"I've seen progress throughout the two two years [since his return]," he added.

"We've also had difficult nights but that is part of progress. You have to go through that as a team.

"There are a lot of plus points. We have had two clean sheets in this camp and three in the campaign.

"We won't be a team that scores five every time we take to the pitch, we know that, but when we got the opportunity tonight the performance was excellent."