McIlroy sees Healy as the striker to end goal famine

Sammy McIlroy knows his Northern Ireland team need to break a scoring famine today if their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign is to gather momentum. McIlroy's team failed to find the net for a fourth successive time at the weekend when Spain chalked up a 3-0 victory in Albacete. Spain had also inflicted a 5-0 defeat in April and friendlies against Liechtenstein and Cyprus finished in goalless draws.

Ukraine displayed their scoring prowess at the weekend with victory over Greece, and that is the kind of habit McIlroy wants his players to rediscover at Windsor Park. "Of course it is a concern that we have not got goals in recent games," McIlroy said. "You have got to score if you are to win matches. The sooner this run stops the better. We have got to go into this game in a positive frame of mind, but we will have to be disciplined as well."

McIlroy could start with David Healy, of Preston, and Paul McVeigh, of Norwich, up front. Healy has scored eight goals for his country, while McVeigh has a similar tally for his club this season.

With the Willem II Tilburg striker, James Quinn, returning to the Netherlands with a virus, Hearts' Andy Kirk is McIlroy's only other natural striking option. Healy was on the bench at the weekend, with Keith Gillespie reverting from midfielder to lone striker. "David is up for it," McIlroy said. "He is looking forward to the Ukraine game. It was a technical decision to go with Gillespie, who was superb against Spain." The Wimbledon midfielder, Michael Hughes, might be another option.

McIlroy's main problems lie with his lack of defensive options ahead of this Group Six game. Gerry Taggart, Danny Griffin, Mark Williams and Peter Kennedy have all been ruled out through injury. The midfielder Kevin Horlock played left-back in yesterday's training session, with George McCartney switching to the right. Aaron Hughes and Colin Murdock were in the middle.

The Ukraine squad arrived in Belfast yesterday and will be looking to build on their defeat of Greece. That victory came at a price, however, with the midfielders Sergei Serebrennikov and Hennedii Moroz ruled out with knee and groin injuries respectively.

NORTHERN IRELAND (probable team): Taylor (Fulham), McCartney (Sunderland), A Hughes (Newcastle), Murdock (Preston), Horlock (Man City), Johnson (Birmingham), Lomas (West Ham), Mulryne (Norwich), Gillespie (Blackburn), McVeigh (Norwich), Healy (Preston).