Corry Evans withdraws from Northern Ireland squad

Sunderland midfielder Corry Evans becomes the sixth player to pull out of the group for the World Cup qualifiers against Switzerland and Bulgaria after Shayne Lavery, Ali McCann, Gavin Whyte, Michael Smith and Trevor Carson were forced to withdraw.

And there is now a bigger concern with Leicester defender Jonny Evans yet to join up before the team travels to Switzerland on Thursday.

The centre-back has been managing a long-term foot injury, with Baraclough saying last week it would be the player himself who made a decision on his fitness for the fixtures.

Evans was not involved in either Leicester’s Europa League defeat to Legia Warsaw or Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace – with his last appearance coming in the Carabao Cup win over Millwall on September 22nd.

Both of the Evans brothers were missing for last month’s internationals, in which Northern Ireland took four qualifying points with a win in Lithuania and a draw at home to Switzerland either side of a friendly victory in Estonia.

On Monday, Baraclough added Liverpool goalkeeper Liam Hughes, Leyton Orient striker Paul Smyth, Sunderland midfielder Carl Winchester and Morecambe defender Ryan McLaughlin to his group, but he will not replace Corry Evans.

Northern Ireland are due to face Switzerland in Geneva on Saturday night in a pivotal qualifier – they start the match three points behind the Swiss in the race for second place in Group C – before heading to Sofia to face Bulgaria.

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