So after a dream campaign for Michael O’Neill’s army, it has all come down to this.

Two matches, one on Thursday and one Sunday with qualification for their first World Cup in 32 years at stake.

However, a relentless Swiss side stand in between the Green and White Army and qualification for Russia. Switzerland will consider themselves strong favourites over the two legs, boasting quality from all over Europe’s top five leagues but Michael O’Neill’s well organised unit will at the very least give them a run for it.

Craig Cathcart aside, Northern Ireland have more or less a full strength squad to pick from and here’s how I predict them to line up on Sunday:

MICHAEL MCGOVERN

Despite a questionable at best performance out in Norway, Michael McGovern has been playing at an outstanding level for Northern Ireland pretty much ever since he replaced Roy Carroll in 2015. On the flip side, he isn’t currently getting a look in for Championship side Norwich City with manager Daniel Farke preferring to put Angus Gunn between the sticks. The issue for Northern Ireland is, if O’Neill was to drop McGovern, there isn’t a clear capable replacement.

CONOR MCLAUGHLIN

Right up there with Northern Ireland’s most consistent performers over the last four years, Conor McLaughlin finally got his move to Championship football in the summer. Since then he has been a regular starter at right-back for Millwall where he plays alongside fellow countrymen George Saville and Shane Ferguson. Despite sitting 19th, Millwall’s defence is right up there with the best in the Championship and that will no doubt be partially down to the reliable McLaughlin. He is a shoe-in to start on Thursday evening in Belfast and will most likely be at full-back as the experiment of playing him at centre-half against the Germans was one that didn’t really work.

GARETH MCAULEY

Ideally Gareth would be coming into this game with a few more minutes under his belt. The West Brom man suffered an injury at the start of the season and due to the form of Ahmed Hegazi, has struggled a little to get his place in the side back. He has started both of West Brom’s last two league matches though and will no doubt be in the starting 11 on Thursday especially in the absence of Watford’s Craig Cathcart. Hopefully any rustiness has been put behind him and he can help Northern Ireland to what would be an imperative first leg clean sheet and add his usual attacking threat from set pieces.

JONNY EVANS

I have only recently began to appreciate how good a player Jonny Evans is. A proper defender who wins his tackles and aerial duels but also is composed in possession. The reaction to Manchester City being linked with him in the summer was strange to say the least but fans these days will favour an unknown quantity from a European League over a good defender in the Premier League, because it’s more exciting I guess. Despite not having the leakiest defence in the league by any stretch, West Brom have struggled badly for form this season and that is bound to be a worry for Michael O’Neill, given that three of his trusted back four play for Pulis’ side.

CHRIS BRUNT

In complete contrast to teammate Gareth McAuley, Chris Brunt started the season well but has lost his place in the team in recent weeks. Whilst perhaps not the best defender in the world, Brunty is one of the first names on the Northern Ireland team sheet due to his wicked delivery from both set pieces and open play. Off the back of a beautiful free kick in the 2-0 win over the Czech Republic, Brunt is, directly or indirectly, certainly a likely source of a goal from Northern Ireland but after his calamity in Norway, the Swiss are likely to target the makeshift left-back and the mercurial Xherdan Shaqiri is bound to fancy himself on that side.

STEVE DAVIS

Captain and best player by quite a distance, Steve Davis will start in midfield against the Swiss. I think it has been every Northern Ireland fan’s worst nightmare that Davis would pick up a knock before Thursday night but so far, so good on that front. I am going to stop talking about this before I jinx it. Something Northern Ireland fans can get excited about is the fact that Davis has hit a bit of goal-scoring form recently, scoring the winner against Crystal Palace and the goal in the 1-1 draw away to derby rivals Brighton. Steve Davis is more known for his reliability, passing range and ball retention rather than his goal-scoring exploits but when he does score, they usually come in patches so let’s hope he continues this run through the international break.

OLIVER NORWOOD

A lot of Northern Ireland fans were excited when Brighton and Hove Albion won promotion to the Premier League last May as it meant another Northern Ireland player playing in the top flight. However, rather disappointingly, Norwood was loaned out to Championship side Fulham for this season. Unfortunately, I’m not sure Norwood offers a great deal to this side, especially with Chris Brunt now the regular set piece taker. That said, Norwood is consistently playing at a decent level and now has over 50 caps for the Green and White Army so will add to what is an already very experienced midfield.

CORRY EVANS

Quiet yet unassuming, Corry Evans is Michael’s Mr. Reliable. Despite not being an ever present for Blackburn in League One this season, I can’t see O’Neill picking the internationally inexperienced George Saville or a Paddy McNair back from a long spell on the sidelines, despite both playing at a higher level.

JOSH MAGENNIS

Having been seen as a joke figure for a lot of his international career, the Bangor man has really stepped up his game and proven us all wrong. Starting with his goal that took us to the Euros against Greece in October 2015 and then playing a key part in the second goal in the infamous win over Ukraine in Lyon, Magennis has gone from strength to strength and has already quadrupled his international goals tally this season. Despite not being a deadly finisher with a stunning goalscoring record, 7 goals in 17 this season for club and country isn’t to be sniffed at, especially when one of those is against the World Champions. I think Magennis will start on the wing where he will be a different test to what Ricardo Rodriguez is used to coming up against in Serie A and in Europe.

CONOR WASHINGTON

As important as Kyle Lafferty’s goals have been for Northern Ireland since the start of EURO 2016 qualification, Northern Ireland’s three best performances in the last two years: all 2-0 victories over Ukraine, Czech Republic and Norway, have come with Conor Washington leading the line. The English-born front man is able to run in behind and cause havoc which isn’t something you can say about out other strikers, not least Kyle Lafferty. With only four this season, Conor Washington isn’t coming into this game bang in form he will always give you work rate and to start Kyle Lafferty would, in my opinion, be too big a risk.

STUART DALLAS

The lovable Jamie Ward is back in the side after a long time out of action but I can’t see O’Neill taking any risks at all in this fixture. The tried, tested and fully fit Stuart Dallas is likely to be the preferred option in this fixture. Interestingly, Dallas played at left back in his last game for Leeds but I think he will start on the left-wing against the Swiss.