John O'Neill
Former Northern Ireland defender on BBC Radio Ulster

NI midfielder Ali McCann has joined Championship outfit Preston from St Johnstone for a "seven-figure sum".

St Johnstone say with add-ons, the fee for McCann could rise above £1.75m, a club record. The 21-year-old has signed a four-year deal with the Deepdale club.

"St Johnstone are a great club," McCann, who was a key player in their double-winning team.

"I've been there since I was young so it was difficult leaving because they've done so much for me, but an opportunity to move down to a club like this is just too much to pass up."

Image source, Inpho

Ian Baraclough is hoping for a big impact from Shayne Lavery on his maiden competitive international start...

Ian Baraclough will be hoping his side have a better result than neighbours the Republic of Ireland, who came unstuck against Portugal thanks to the brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo.

It was a much-improved showing from Stephen Kenny's side but Ronaldo struck twice late on, including a 96th-minute winner, to break Irish hearts in Faro in a 2-1 win.

NI, of course, had their own 'Ronaldo experience' at Windsor Park back in 2013 when the talismanic forward netted a hat-trick at Windsor Park after Michael O'Neill's men had given the European giants an almighty scare.

His two headers last night broke the world record for goals scored in men's international football as he hit his 110th and 111th goals. Simply incredible.

Image source, Inpho

Very - is the short answer.

In recent times, undoubtedly aided by Leeds United's rise to the Premier League, Dallas has arguably become Northern Ireland's most-important player.

That's some going when you also have Steven Davis and Jonny Evans in the mix, but Dallas' versatility, leadership and work rate make him one of a kind.

"We all know how good a player Stuart Dallas is but we have also got players who are desperate for a chance to play," Baraclough said.

It's a big night for Baraclough and he will need players to step to fill the sizable void left by Dallas - wherever he plays.

Image source, Inpho

Former international defender Stephen Craigan knows a thing or two about going through a difficult patch with NI and he believes tonight could be make or break for boss Baraclough.

"Sometimes in your managerial career there comes a point or a game where you think 'this is one we really need to win, this is the one where people are going to expect from me'," he said.

"The players will know themselves and the manager will know too that they have to go and win the game.

"What it means in the long term or medium term I have no idea, but certainly it would be a major disappointment if our campaign was over after matchday three, if we had played Bulgaria and Lithuania in our first three games but were out of the running in the group.

"We are a better team than them, even with the players that are out, but the boys have to go and make it happen."

Image source, Inpho

Mark Sterling
BBC Sport NI

It's almost always a guessing game when the Northern Ireland teamsheet comes in as to what formation they will line up in.

Depending on what platform you look at it, there are likely to be a range of, shall we say educated, guesses.

Ours, for what it's worth, is that Ian Baraclough will go with his preferred 3-5-2 system that he turned to for the opening two World Cup qualifiers against Italy and Bulgaria.

That would see Paddy McNair join Craig Cathcart and Dan Ballard in a back three, Michael Smith and Jamal Lewis on the flanks and a middle three anchored by captain Steven Davis, with Ali McCann and Jordan Thompson on either side.

Shayne Lavery makes his first competitive NI start up front alongside the much more experienced Conor Washington.

Consider that our neck stuck out. We'll await the feedback....

BBC Radio Ulster

Don't forget, you can listen to all the action live on BBC Radio Ulster and on BBC Sounds.

Michael McNamee is joined on commentary by former Northern Ireland defender John O'Neill.

Despite several notable absentees, Northern Ireland's starting team still has a familiar look about it.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell, rejuvenated following his loan move to Sheffield Wednesday, was the obvious choice between the sticks while Daniel Ballard will have the task of filling the shoes of Jonny Evans alongside the wise head of Craig Cathcart.

Ian Baraclough has opted to go with two up front, with the in-form Shayne Lavery getting his first competitive international start alongside Conor Washington.

Right, time for some team news....

Northern Ireland travel to Lithuania with a depleted squad and Baraclough offers his assessment of those he has available.

Northern Ireland suffered another blow for their crucial World Cup qualifier against Lithuania on Thursday after Stuart Dallas withdrew from the squad.

The Leeds United utility man pulled out of the Lithuania and Switzerland qualifiers for personal reasons.

Northern Ireland are already without injured key defender Jonny Evans while his brother Corry and striker Josh Magennis are also out due to knocks.

Hearts striker Liam Boyce is also missing for personal reasons. For a team with a shallow squad depth it's another big blow for the GAWA.

Image source, Inpho

Enough with the negativity, I hear you say.

Okay then, tonight is the perfect chance for Northern Ireland to get their campaign back on track again.

Lithuania have lost their last eight qualifying matches for the Euros or World Cup by an aggregate score of 25-3.

Only San Marino (29) and Gibraltar (31) are on longer runs of consecutive defeats than Lithuania in such qualifying matches.

They also haven’t led for a single minute in any of their last nine qualifying matches, since Fedor Černych gave them the lead against Luxembourg in March 2019, a game they ultimately lost 2-1.

See, there is a reason to be positive!

Image source, Getty Images

After two games, it's painful to say Northern Ireland's task of reaching the World Cup finals in 2022 already seems like a bit of a long shot.

Defeat to would-be Euro 2020 winners Italy was expected and a plucky performance offered positives, but a turgid draw at home Bulgaria highlighted the flaws of this current side.

The results to date leave NI sitting in third place, already five points behind Switzerland in second. Defeat tonight will almost certainly spell the end of any potential trip to Qatar next winter.

Things can only get better...

Image source, Inpho

The recent Euro 2020 finals brought memories flooding back of Gareth McAuley's iconic header and Will Grigg's on fire for many members of the Green and White Army.

However five years on, the joyous atmosphere surrounding the national team has somewhat evaporated and the glory days under Michael O'Neill feel very, very far away.

Winless in 14 competitive games, a run which stretches back to June 2019, Ian Baraclough's reign as manager feels like it hasn't really got going yet and with NI's World Cup hopes already hanging by a thread, tonight's match in Lithuania has added importance.

It's a must-win, it's as simple as that.