Northern Ireland v Netherlands: Euro 2020 qualifier – live!

28 mins: McNair tries to get the better of Van Dijk, realises it’s a forlorn hope and turns back, with the ball ending up with his own goalkeeper 20 seconds later.

26 mins: Promes gets the better of Dallas down the wing and lifts in a dangerous cross which goes over the head of a flapping Peacock-Farrell, but also everyone else, and out of the box.

24 mins: Northern Ireland have slowed things down, purely because they could not keep up such a ludicrous pace as they set early doors. Now it is case of managing their energy for the next 65 minutes.

22 mins: Northern Ireland have completed 25 passes to Netherlands’ 150. Good luck to the hosts!

Van de Beek plays a pass through to Babel to take onwards but the flag goes up as the forward whacks at shot which is palmed behind. It was certainly tight.

2o mins: Part-time full-back Dallas is in for a long night at right-back I feel. He is firstly up against Promes who is looking very dangerous, then Babel is pulling onto him whenver he can and Blind is getting up the left flank at every chance.

I will keep count of every time the commentators refer to Daley Blind as Danny Blind. Obviously, I will make the same mistake myself.

18 mins: Veltman chucks himself to the ground after Lewis touches his shoulder. A hilarious overreaction from the Ajax man to win a free-kick.

16 mins: Blind controls a perfect crossfield pass and lays the ball off to Babel who fluffs his lines from the middle of the goal and it goes straight to the goalkeeper’s arms. Promes then whacks a shot from the left-hand side of the area but it goes inches wide.

14 mins: Netherlands are under a little less pressure now when they pass it around the back. Admittedly, it would have been impossible for Northern Ireland to keep up the early tempo.

12 mins: De Roon is booked for tripping McNair, meaning he will miss the next match. The Dutch seem to have settled now, though.

10 mins: Netherlands are trying to get a foot in the game. Promes gets into the box and pulls the ball back but Lewis clears. The winger then gets to the byline seconds late and does the same, Berghuis gets to the ball first but he mishits his shot from five yards and it loops onto the crossbar before an almighty scrap to clear the ball. A let-off for Northern Ireland.

8 mins: Whyte swings in a free-kick from the right which Cillessen comes to punch but only gets it as far as Saville on the edge of the box, he smacks a low drive with the goalkeeper AWOL but the ball hits De Ligt on the ground and is cleared.

Northern Ireland are really at it currently. So much energy on the pitch and in the stands.

6 mins: Relentless stuff from Northern Ireland as they put pressure on all over the pitch. McNair swings in a cross from the right, Magennis gets across his marker and flicks a header towards the far post but it flashes just wide.

4 mins: Incredible scenes as Corry Evans chases down a backpass to Cillessen, with the goalkeeper whacking it against the midfielder who blocks it and the ball almost ends up in the back of the net, he then tries to set up Magennis but his pass goes astray. This is an intense start from the hosts.

I can confirm it is extremely lively in Windsor Park. The fans are playing their part, that is for sure.

2 mins: Netherlands whack it long for Babel to get things going, which is not what I was expecting. Cillessen hits a woeful clearance that only travels 30 yards to the feet of Whyte, who dribbles down the right flank only to see his cross hit the first man.

The players are on the pitch and I am reminded that the Dutch kit is one of the best around.

Van Dijk and De Ligt is a decent centre-back pairing. Josh Magennis was impressive in the reverse fixture but it will be one of the toughest tests of his career tonight.

A good win for Wales today.

O’Neill: “We have to go and try to win the game. We’ve picked a team with that in mind.

“I think we’ve put as much pace in the team as we can with Stuart Dallas and Jamal Lewis coming in.”

Michael O’Neill will have a new Championship rival after Neil Harris was appointed Cardiff boss today.

That’s a relief! Scott Minto is actually in Belfast for the match and David Prutton has been relieved.

Is David Prutton going to carry on for a third game? I will be worried for him if he does. Two is just about doable but presenting three separate matches in a day is madness.

I also did the MBM on this earlier and the referee was farcically bad. I am hoping the one in Belfast is better.

No Memphis Depay for Netherlands tonight but we do get Ryan Babel, so I am pretty happy. Depay has been in great nick for Lyon this season, making it a shame that we do not get to see him as he looks to vanquish the reputation built during his time at Old Trafford.

Your main man Nick Ames is in Pristina, so has written this:

Michael O’Neill is off to Stoke but he is focused on the task in hand with Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland: Peacock-Farrell, J Evans, Cathcart, C Evans, Lewis, Saville, Davis, McNair, Whyte, Magennis, Dallas

Netherlands: Cillesen, Veltman, De Ligt, Van Dijk, Blind, De Roon, De Jong, Berghuis, Van de Beek, Babel, Promes

Good evening!

Northern Ireland’s manager has announced he is off and their qualification hopes hang by a thread, so it’s not a great time for the team.

On the upside, Netherlands are in town, meaning we should be in for a bit of entertainment as the Dutch seem to have found their feet again under Ronald Koeman. The visitors need just a point to confirm their place at the Euros and they will be planning to secure it tonight.

This is not the end of O’Neill and Northern Ireland as they will go into the playoffs next year and the manager will stay on for those matches while also being in charge at Stoke.

Northern Ireland ran Netherlands close last month, leading into the closing stages until the Dutch turned the game around late on with two quick goals.

Let’s hope they can make it a cracking game once again!

Kick-off: 7.45pm GMT