Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough believes Italy will give his side chances to attack in Monday night's final World Cup qualifier in Belfast.

"I don't think we can just sit in and be defensive," the NI boss said.

"We will get pushed back, for sure, but we want to express ourselves as well. You look at Italy's games and in many of them they have a lot of possession, but they do give you chances to attack in your own right.

"We have to not be fearful of that and deal with situations when they present themselves. I don't want to go into the game and then afterwards be asking myself why we didn't allow players to flourish in positions they enjoy playing in.

"We will have to contend with certain situations, you might be left two v two at the back or three on three when they break, but let's see what we can throw at them.

"We have to be clean with our passing, look after the ball in certain areas and make good decisions. It tests you more the higher you go against the better players."

As midnight approached in south Belfast, the summer air at Windsor Park was lit up with the laughter of Jorginho as he jogged across the ticker-tape strewn pitch before heading down the tunnel.

He was barefooted, shorts hoisted high, dancing between the ticker-tape and clearly enjoying his final seconds at the scene where - just over half an hour beforehand - he and his Chelsea team-mates had raised the Uefa Super Cup aloft.

The last time the Italian midfielder was celebrating a trophy, of course, was his country's Euro final victory over England exactly a month ago at Wembley.

The somewhat random nature of Jorginho's exit from the pitch was an interesting snapshot of how the 2021 Super Cup was played at Windsor Park, but not a Windsor Park like anyone has seen before.

Read more here.

Image source, Press Eye

In a city famed for it's Italian weather, tonight's visitors took the opportunity to take a stroll around Belfast on a rare sunny afternoon in November.

Those on the Glider bus heading into town will have got some shock to see the European champions out for a dander.

Just as a completely unrelated side note, if you heard Ted Hastings talk about 'coming up the Lagan on a bubble' in Line of Duty, this is the river he is talking about.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

We absolutely love the optimism.

What a fairytale that would be for teenager Dale Taylor.

BBC Sounds

Joel Taggart is joined by Keith Gillespie and Jim Magilton in studio for tonight's game on BBC Radio Ulster, which should provide plenty of craic on top of some top-notch analysis.

As ever, Michael McNamee is on commentary with former Northern Ireland defender John O'Neill.

You can listen on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster and at the top of this page from 7.30pm.

We'll also have highlights on BBC One NI at 11.05pm. Let's hope it's worth tuning in for!

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

We are still over 15 minutes from kick off here at Windsor Park, but one of the most striking features of the build-up so far has been the noise from the Italian fans.

Housed in a pocket in the corner between the East and North Stands, they look like they are enjoying their night in Belfast.

It will be interesting to see how the Green And White Army respond when they arrive in more numbers than are here now.

Let's be honest, nobody wants Steven Davis to retire from international football and Stuart Dallas is no different.

Let's see if he can work his magic and convince Davis to stay on.

Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis has said he has not yet made a decision on his international future.

The Rangers midfielder, 36, said he will speak to his family and manager Ian Baraclough about it after Monday's final World Cup qualifier against Italy at Windsor Park.

"The honest answer is I haven't made any decision," he said.

"I think it is important that my full focus is on the game first and foremost to try and get a good result and build on the result against Lithuania.

"After that I think it is important that I sit down with my family and have good conversations with them, also the manager and see what is best moving forward.

"Whenever that day does come it is going to be a very difficult decision because ultimately I have had so many enjoyable moments in a Northern Ireland shirt and I am always very proud to do it. It would be very hard to not envisage myself doing that moving forward."

Image source, Press Eye

Steven Davis has yet to decide on his international future and nobody wants him to go.

But if this is to be the last time we see him pull on the green shirt, is the European champions in Belfast a fitting farewell?

Get involved and let us know using #bbcfootball and via @BBCSportNI.

Image source, BBC Sport

Domenico Berardi and Ciro Immobile scored for the Italians in March when these sides last met in their opening World Cup qualifier.

Things have gone rather well for the Roberto Mancini's side since...

Image source, Press Eye

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI at Windsor Park

Gavin Whyte caused Italy some problems with his pace in the second half of the opening World Cup qualifier between these sides in Parma in March - and the Oxford United forward comes into the starting 11 for Northern Ireland tonight.

It looks like manager Ian Baraclough is keeping faith with the 3-5-2 formation that he has favoured recently, which would see Whyte join Josh Magennis in a front two.

Tom Flanagan comes in for Paddy McNair in a back three alongside Jonny Evans and Craig Cathcart, while Jamal Lewis will patrol the left flank from wing back in place of Shane Ferguson.

With Stuart Dallas on the opposite side, the midfield three stays the same as for the win over Lithuania, with captain Steven Davis flanked by Ali McCann and George Saville.

Given the difficult conditions of the last 18 months and the mass withdrawals Ian Baraclough has had to deal with in recent camps, the former Motherwell boss said a positive result against Italy would give him, the players and the Northern Ireland supporters a huge lift going into 2022.

And he also has an eye on delivering a major scalp for the country, something the team has not done for a number of years, against an Italian manager in Mancini who he said he enjoyed speaking to before the 2-0 defeat in Parma in March.

"It has been spoken about for quite a while that we have not taken a big scalp. We have to do that at some stage," he said.

"If we want to step into those higher echelons of European football then you have got to be taking these scalps. It would be great for everyone if we can, and would give us a great send-off.

"It's been a difficult 18 months for various reasons and to have a full house at Windsor for a big occasion and atmosphere is great, and we will hopefully give the fans something to shout about.

"I try to pick everyone's brains when I get the chance to have five minutes with someone and out there, during the warm-up, I had five minutes with Roberto and 15-20 minutes with Gianluca Vialli [his assistant]. I'm like a sponge, trying to educate myself as much as possible."

Image source, Getty Images

Italy

There's a bit of pressure on Italy to get the job done tonight and Roberto Mancini has made just one switch from Friday's draw with Switzerland.

AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali, a dream player in Fifa's career mode, comes into the midfield in place of Manuel Locatelli.

There's a ridiculous amount of talent everywhere you look in this Italy side and Ian Barraclough's men will have their work cut out if they are to stop the European champions.

Italy: Donnarumma, Di Lorenzo, Bonucci, Acerbi, Emerson, Tonali, Jorginho, Barella, Berardi, Insigne, Chiesa.

Subs: Meret, Cragno, Zappacosta, Ferrari, Locatelli, Scamacca, Belotti, Pessina, Cristante, Bernardeschi, Raspadori, Mancini.

Image source, BBC Sport

While the future is looking bright, let's get back to the here and now.

Who wants some Italian team news?

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI

Conor Bradley impressed hugely on his Northern Ireland senior debut against Switzerland in September and made his Liverpool first-team debut in the League Cup soon after.

A right-back who started out as a forward at Dungannon United Youth, Gerard Lyttle believes the 18-year-old's mental strength is one of his biggest attributes.

"I worked with Conor at Club NI and you always knew he had that 'wow' factor when he got going," Lyttle observed.

"You talk about the full package and he has got everything going for him, and the biggest thing of all is his mentality. He always wanted to be a footballer, his standards are really high.

"He is very driven, doesn't let anything get in the way of where he wants to be and for me that is really important for a young player. Conor has that work ethic in abundance and he really is an inspiration to the rest of the young players."

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI

Alfie McCalmont is an English-born 21-year-old Leeds United midfielder who spent last season on loan at League Two side Oldham Athletic before moving to League One's Morecambe in the summer.

He joined Leeds aged nine and has played in two EFL Cup games, and has also made four appearances for the Northern Ireland senior side.

"He's very clever in finding little pockets of space. If you get into forward areas with him on the ball, things happen - as you could see against Lithuania," Gerard Lyttle said.

"He takes the ball on the half turn and has the vision to spread it wide or forward, as well as running at defenders.

"Alfie seems to come with that natural calmness where he takes a deep breath and doesn't lash at his shot, but instead just places it in the corner or finds a pass. His decision-making is really good and he has definitely got a bright future.

"He is very much a team player, rolls his sleeves up and is a great kid. This is the first week that I have really been around him properly and his whole mannerisms, his attitude and his personality are top class."

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI

Ethan Galbraith is a 20-year-old Manchester United midfielder who has made one appearance for their first team and is currently on loan at League One side Doncaster Rovers. The Glengormley native signed a new deal with United last year which will keep him at Old Trafford until June 2023.

Having played for Northern Ireland at all youth levels, he has won two senior international caps and earned a call-up to Baraclough's current squad.

"I haven't had the pleasure of working with Ethan just yet but I think he has made the correct decision by going on loan and playing men's football in a decent league," Gerard Lyttle said.

"Getting those minutes that he has done at Doncaster will also boost his chances of cementing his place in the Northern Ireland senior squad.

"Technically he is as good as any. He is not afraid to get on the ball, he has great receiving skills and awareness - he sees things quicker than others on the pitch.

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI

Fresh from making his debut on Friday night, striker Dale Taylor is a 17-year-old Linfield academy graduate who moved to Nottingham Forest last summer and signed his first professional contract with them in December.

He has impressed for Forest's Under-23s, earning his first call-up by Baraclough to the senior international squad.

"Dale is a centre-forward who is technically really good, tough, mature and with a good attitude as well as leadership qualities - I made him captain of our 19s last month," Gerard Lyttle said.

"I worked with Dale at the Uefa JD Academy and I'd go as far as to say that if he hadn't have got the injury that he did in the summer then he would have made his first-team debut for Forest by now. That's how close he is. They speak very well of him at Forest and he has been very unlucky with the injury.

"He scores goals but is very much a team player who will do all the donkey work - run the channels, hold up and link up - he just has that sort of attitude."