Christie and Knight named to start against Ukraine

Jason Knight and Cyrus Christie have been named in the starting XI as Ireland take on Ukraine in tonight's UEFA Nations League game at the Aviva Stadium.

Shane Duffy will captain the side in Seamus Coleman's absence, and the big Derry man will line up in an unchanged back three alongside Nathan Collins and John Egan.

As expected, Christie will slot into the right wing-back position, while Knight gets the nod ahead of Troy Parrott, who starts on the bench.

Josh Cullen and Jeff Hendrick, once again, will marshal midfield, while Chiedozie Ogbene starts in a front three alongside Callum Robinson and Derby County's Knight.

Caoimhin Kelleher remains in goal in Gavin Bazunu's absence, while Festy Obosele was named in his first senior international squad, having missed out on the matchday 23 in Armenia on Saturday.

Ukraine manager Oleksandr Petrakov made ten changes from the side that lost the World Cup qualifier against Wales on Sunday, with Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko the only player to start both games.

Republic of Ireland: Caoimhin Kelleher; Shane Duffy, Nathan Collins, John Egan; Cyrus Christie, Enda Stevens, Josh Cullen, Jeff Hendrick; Chiedozie Ogbene, Jason Knight, Callum Robinson

Ukraine: 1. Andriy Lunin; 4. Denys Popov, 18. Valeriy Bondar, 3. Oleksandr Syrota; 5. Serhiy Sydorchuk (capt), 10. Mykola Shaparenko, 16. Vitaliy Mykolenko, 19. Taras Kacharaba; 20. Oleksandr Zubkov, 14. Mykhailo Mudryk, 11. Artem Dovbyk