Northern Ireland fans have been soaking up the sun ahead of tonight's encounter in Copenhagen.

In his first BBC Sport column, Northern Ireland striker Josh Magennis - who is currently out injured - discusses the challenge Denmark will pose, working under Michael O'Neill and why he thinks the future is bright for the Green and White Army.

Read Magennis' column here

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI in Copenhagen

The Northern Ireland players have just come out to start their warm-up on the pitch.

They were met, as you'd expect, by a warm reception from the members of the 1,700-strong Green and White Army who have arrived in the ground early in the stand behind the goal.

The starting XI are doing their own little series of short sprints in and out of cones in front of the main stand, with the rest of the squad passing the ball around in two groups while the three goalkeepers go through their own routine.

A big boost for the Danes as tailsman Christian Eriksen returns after missing the opening two qualifiers.

Andreas Christensen, formerly at Chelsea and now with Barcelona, is also back along with Joachim Andersen, Andreas Skov Olsen and Martin Braithwaite.

Alexander Bah, Victor Nielsson, Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen and Mikkel Damsgaard make way following the away defeat by Kazakhstan in their last qualifier.

Image source, BBC Sport

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI in Copenhagen

Well, then. That’s a Northern Ireland team not too many people will have been expecting.

There would already have been much debate around what starting line-up Michael O’Neill would go with but that late injury to experienced centre-half Craig Cathcart will no doubt have forced the manager into a late reshuffle.

He has made big calls, none more so than handing a first senior international start to Isaac Price. Normally a central midfielder, it’s understood the 19-year-old – who moved to Belgium’s Standard Liege from Everton last week – will play in behind lone striker Shayne Lavery in what looks like a 5-3-1-1 formation.

There is also a first senior international start for Sunderland’s Trai Hume, who looks likely to play at left wing-back, with Ciaron Brown playing on the left of a back three anchored by captain Jonny Evans and Paddy McNair on the right. Brown and Hume can both play either wing-back or in the back three, so worth keeping an eye on that.

Shea Charles will play in the centre of a three-man midfield, with the returning George Saville and Ali McCann either side, with Lavery getting the nod up front meaning Dion Charles drops to the bench despite having such a good goalscoring season for Bolton Wanderers.

Image source, Press Eye

Northern Ireland boss Michael O'Neill makes six changes to the team which lost to Finland in March.

Trai Hume and Isaac Price are handed their first international starts while Jonny Evans returns to captain the side.

George Saville and Ali McCann are drafted into midfield and Shayne Lavery is back in the attack.

There was plenty of discussion on whether talented right-backs Hume and Conor Bradley could play in the same side - O'Neill has decided they can.

There's no place for Dion Charles, who scored twice against San Marino in the opening qualifier, with Lavery set to start as a lone striker.

Image source, BBC Sport

It's the toughest game of the campaign for Northern Ireland but after losing to Finland last time out the pressure is on to come away from Copenhagen with a positive result.

A draw would do just fine and that's what happened the last time they took on the Danes at the Parken Stadium way back in 2006.

Jonny Evans was in the Northern Ireland line-up that night in a goalless draw and the big Leicester defender will be in action 16 years later, hoping to keep Denmark at bay once again.

The top-seeded hosts are favourites to win Group H but they are also aiming to bounce back from a defeat after going down 3-2 to Kakazakhstan in March.

It promises to be cracking encounter and we have it all covered, with test updates and live commentary on Radio Ulster.

Thanks for joining us!

Image source, Press Eye