Ali McCann: I’ll take every chance to learn from Steven Davis and Jonny Evans

Ali McCann wants to take every opportunity he gets to learn from Northern Ireland stalwarts Steven Davis and Jonny Evans, knowing the chance will not last forever.

Davis, 37, and Evans, 34, were both on the plane on Wednesday as Northern Ireland flew out to Luxembourg for Friday’s friendly, though Evans will sit out next week’s home fixture against Hungary as he manages his return from injury.

As Ian Baraclough continues to bring through the next generation – having called in Trai Hume, Paddy Lane and Caolan Boyd-Munce up from the under-21s this month – their experience is invaluable in the squad, and something McCann, 22, wants to capitalise on.

When players left the last international camp in November last year, buoyed by their performance in holding European champions Italy to a goalless draw in Belfast, nobody was quite sure if Davis would be back.

The Rangers veteran had said he would take the winter to “sit back and reflect” on his future at the end of the World Cup qualifying campaign, but ultimately it came as no surprise when he was named in the squad for these two friendlies, looking to add to his British-record 132 caps.

“I think we all expected him to be here just because he’s been here so long,” McCann said. “You just expect it with the amount of caps he’s had over the years.

“Whenever he’s here it’s such a morale boost to have such a big leader around the place, everyone feeds off him.

“It never really crossed my mind (that Italy might be his last game) to be honest. He’s kept himself right, he’s not looked like he’s slowing down.”

McCann’s assured midfield displays in his 10 caps to date have been one of the major success stories for Northern Ireland under Baraclough, with the Preston midfielder seamlessly