Doherty gets NI start

AZERBAIJAN v N IRELAND World Cup qualifying Group 6 | 9 Oct 1730 BST | Baku | Live on Radio Ulster FM, BBC website Taylor-made job for Carroll Captain Hughes is confident

Tommy Doherty will play his first international game since last April when Northern Ireland face Azerbaijan in the World Cup qualifier in Baku.

The Bristol City skipper has not played for Lawrie Sanchez's side since the draw with Serbia & Montenegro and was not even named in the last squad.

Sanchez has named Doherty in midfield alongside Damien Johnson, Jeff Whitley and Colin Murdock.

Stuart Elliott will partner James Quinn up front in place of David Healy.

Doherty, who will be winning his sixth cap, made his NI debut in the 2-0 defeat by Italy 15 months ago and played a superb role in NI's scoreless draw in Spain when Sammy McIlroy was in charge.

Whitley is fit to face Azerbaijan after recovering from a hamstring injury.

Now with raft of injuries hitting Sanchez, Doherty has a chance to nail down a more permanent role in the NI midfield.

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Whitley came through a tough training session on Thursday morning to prove his availability for Saturday's game.

Key player

"Jeff is fine," said manager Lawrie Sanchez who will probably play a 4-4-2 formation. "There are no problems with his fitness.''

Whitley has become a key player for Northern Ireland and scored in the 2-2 draw against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in their last qualifier.

Sanchez's plan for the matches against Azerbaijan, and Austria on Wednesday, have been decimated by injury and suspension.

But he will almost certainly recall Chris Baird, the Southampton defender who has not played for Sanchez since the Caribbean tour last June because of injury.

Elliott will get his chance due to Healy's suspension and groin injury which could also rule the Preston man out of the game against Austria.

Elliott is in tip-top form for Hull this season and is joint top goalscorer of the Coca-Cola Division One with seven goals.

With those injuries and the chances of picking up more on Saturday, Sanchez is poised to call-up non-league striker Roy Essandoh to face Austria.

The Gravesend & Northfleet forward is famous for scoring the winning goal for Wycombe - then managed by Sanchez - when they defeated Leicester City on their way to the 2001 FA Cup semi-final.

Essandoh is one of three players on standby after the raft of injuries suffered by Sanchez.

It is a must-win game but Azerbaijan will be up for it at home Lawrie Sanchez

"He has scored five goals in his last eight games and is a big strong front man, and could come in," said Sanchez.

''If our injury problems worsen, then he will be in the reckoning for next Wednesday.''

Sanchez travelled to Azerbaijan with a depleted squad with key players Michael Hughes, Tony Capaldi and Healy all suspended.

Paul McVeigh, George McCartney, Steve Jones, Danny Sonner and Gary Hamilton all pulled out of Saturday's game with injury.

The withdrawals prompted Sanchez to call up Keith Gillespie, Steve Davis, Chris Brunt and Danny Griffin.

Despite the injury and suspension problems Sanchez acknowledges that his side must take three points in Baku.

"It is a must-win game but Azerbaijan will be up for it at home especially as they face England after us," said Sanchez.

Northern Ireland: Taylor, Baird, Clyde, Williams, Hughes, Murdock, Whitley, Johnson, Doherty, Quinn, Elliott.