International friendly: best bets, odds & preview for N Ireland v Luxembourg

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League, 7.45pm Thursday

Best bet

Northern Ireland to win by one goal
1pt 12-5 bet365, RedZone

Match preview

Northern Ireland have won their double-headers with Estonia and Belarus to storm to the top of Euro 2020 qualifying Group C, and there’s a natural presumption therefore that Luxembourg will be swept aside in Thursday’s friendly in Belfast.

However, Northern Ireland very rarely score wide-margin wins and Luxembourg, once one of Europe’s whipping boys, are no mugs these days.

Luc Holtz’s men have won seven matches in the last two years, by some distance their best ever cycle of results, but just as impressive have been their narrow losses over that period, notably a 1-0 defeat in Ukraine.

They are far gutsier and better than ever before and Michael O’Neill, with one eye on Monday’s showdown with Germany, won’t be taking any risks.

Team news

Northern Ireland
Michael Smith, Paul Smyth and Jordan Jones are all out so striker Kyle Lafferty and winger Mark Sykes have been called up. Liam Boyce is being assessed.

Luxembourg
Experience trio Mathias Janisch, Aurelien Joachim and Stefano Bensi have been left out of the squad while midfielder Mario Mutsch retired in the summer.

Key stat

Northern Ireland have won their last three matches by one goal.

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