Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill says he may feel the "occasional pang" of conflict.

O'Neill won 64 caps for NI and captained them at the 1982 World Cup, when they reached the quarter-finals after famously beating hosts Spain.

"I naturally had a great time with the North," O'Neill said.

Asked if he would be conflicted at any point, he said: "Having spent that time in the North, having been capped 64 times, I think there'll be the occasional pang, yes.

"We had a very, very fine side way back, particularly in 1982, and the night in Valencia will be forever remembered.

"It was really great, beating the host nation, Spain, and getting to the quarter-final."

Pick that one out.

Kilrea-born Martin O'Neill, who has been in charge of the Republic since 2013, won 64 caps for Northern Ireland from 1971 to 1984.

Can you name these other 10 people who have managed a national team against the country of their birth?

Take the quiz here.

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Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland players have attended a number of engagements together this week but Michael O'Neill says Thursday's result will still be very important.

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at the Aviva Stadium

We’re just two days away from the 25th anniversary of the infamous 1-1 draw between these sides at Windsor Park which secured the Republic's qualification for the 1994 World Cup.

It came just a few weeks after some of the most terrible atrocities of the conflict in Northern Ireland, the game is largely remembered for its hostile atmosphere.

Twenty-five years on, there is, naturally, still a big rivalry between the two sides, but the atmosphere in the Aviva Stadium before kick-off is nothing like what those in attendance at Windsor Park will remember.

Just over 25,000 fans are expected for the game, with 2,000 Northern Ireland supporters making the trip. A handful have taken their seats behind the goal, but they have still to find their voice.

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Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill is "really looking forward" to today's game and says it is "too long" since the countries last met in 2011.

O'Neill was speaking after he and Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill met Irish President Michael D Higgins at a Co-Operation Ireland dinner in Dublin on Wednesday evening.

Careful now...

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Glenn Whelan wins his 85th, and probably final, Republic of Ireland cap today - and he will do so as captain of the team.

The Aston Villa midfielder, 34, is not formally retiring from international football and says he will still be there if his country need him.

The latest (for different reasons) Republic of Ireland eligibility issue relates to Southampton striker Michael Obafemi.

The 18-year-old was born in Dublin to Nigerian parents, and raised in England - so could play for all three countries.

Martin O'Neill called him up for today's friendly but said he would be left out for Monday's Nations League game with Denmark so he "wouldn't be rushing him" into committing for the Republic.

That led to fans presuming that meant Obafemi wasn't sure about his international future.

But his agent today said he is "100% committed to Ireland and is looking forward to an exciting future with the national team".

And then he has tweeted this in the last few hours...

He's on the bench today.

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Two of the current Republic of Ireland squad are former Northern Ireland Under-21 internationals born in Derry - James McClean and Shane Duffy.

Players born in Northern Ireland are allowed to play for the Republic following the Good Friday Agreement.

NI-born Darron Gibson, Eunan O'Kane and Marc Wilson have also played for the Republic in recent years.

Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill has previously accused the Republic of only approaching Catholics.

But in the build-up to this game, he's cooled his tone a bit.

"The players made that choice and they had the right to make that choice. For Shane Duffy and James McClean it has proven to be a good choice," said Michael O'Neill.

"They have played an awful lot of international football, they have both played in a major tournament and it was a decision they wanted to make."

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at the Aviva Stadium

Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans may well be instructed to pick up Republic forward Robbie Brady during tonight’s game - and it won’t be the first time he has done that this week.

The Leicester defender picked the Burnley winger up in a taxi on the way to Manchester Airport for their flight to Dublin on Sunday.

Wonder who picked up the fare, though?

Had these sides met a couple of years ago - when both countries were at Euro 2016, there would have been a feel-good factor about this game.

A summer when some random French kids asked me and my friend to sing 'Will Grigg's on fire' to them. A simpler time.

Anyway... the facts now are the Republic have won once in the past nine games, a friendly against the United States.

And Northern Ireland have won two in 11 - friendlies against South Korea and Israel.

At least they can't both lose today.

Republic of Ireland boss Martin O'Neill said earlier this week he was planning to speak to James McClean about the reaction he might get from some Northern Ireland fans tonight for not wearing a poppy in recent Stoke City games.

O'Neill went on to admit if this game was in Northern Ireland rather than Dublin, he might have left McClean out - referencing Liverpool's decision to leave Xherdan Shaqiri out for their game at Red Star Belgrade.

Speaking of line-ups...

Can you name the starting XIs from the Republic of Ireland's 5-0 win over Northern Ireland in their last meeting?

We have given you the clubs they were playing for at the time - and the position they played in that game.

Have a go here.

Image source, Getty Images

Oxford United winger Gavin Whyte makes his first start for Northern Ireland tonight.

Hearts right-back Michael Smith starts his first international game since 2016.

Gareth McAuley is among the subs, having only just broken into the Rangers team.

Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell, Lewis, J Evans, Cathcart, Smith, C Evans, Dallas, Saville, Davis, Whyte, Boyce.

Robbie Brady makes his first Republic of Ireland appearance in one year and one day after returning from a knee injury.

Glenn Whelan captains the side on what is likely to be his final international game, while Blackburn defender Darragh Lenihan wins his second cap.

Callum Robinson gets the nod over teenager Michael Obafemi up front.

Republic of Ireland: Randolph, Coleman, Duffy, Egan, Lenihan, McClean, Whelan, Brady, Hendrick, O'Dowda, Robinson.

We're still waiting for the Northern Ireland team.

History is made tonight with the first ever international game to feature two managers called M. O'Neill.

Welcome to live text and radio commentary of the Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland.

Image source, Rex Features