 | NORTHERN IRELAND v WALES Kick-off: 1400 BST, Saturday, 8 October Venue: Windsor Park, Belfast Live on BBC TV, radio and this website |
Paul Jones will start in goal for Wales in Saturday's World Cup qualifier with Northern Ireland in Belfast. Lewis Price was due to make his debut in Belfast, but he was ruled out on the morning of the match because of the hip injury he aggravated on Thursday.
James Collins replaces the suspended Danny Gabbidon and Mark Delaney is back from injury as Wales change from a sweeper system to a flat back four.
John Hartson returns from suspension to partner Rob Earnshaw up front.
Captain Ryan Giggs and Simon Davies provide the width as Wales aim for a first win in Group Six and try to end a six-match losing streak.
Carl Fletcher and Carl Robinson are the centre midfield pairing, but will be short of match fitness having lost their places at club level.
Manager John Toshack has named 17-year-old Bristol City striker David Cotterill on a substitute bench which has a combined caps total of just eight.
Keeper Jones gets an unexpected opportunity to win his 44th cap despite not played a competitive game in seven weeks.
The 38-year-old's last appearance for Wales came almost a year ago in the 3-2 home defeat to Poland in Mark Hughes' last game in charge.
Wales: Jones (Wolves), Delaney (Aston Villa), J. Collins (West Ham), Partridge (Bristol City), Ricketts (Swansea), Robinson (Sunderland), Fletcher (West Ham), Davies (Everton), , Hartson (Celtic), Earnshaw (West Brom), Giggs (Manchester United).
Subs: Brown (Gillingham), Crofts (Gillingham), Duffy (Coventry), Williams (West Ham), Cotterill (Bristol City), Vaughan (Crewe), D. Collins (Sunderland).