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The Republic of Ireland head into their daunting Euro 2024 qualifier clash with France without the man the nation had hoped might inspire a fightback. Stephen Kenny will send his troops into Group B battle with the World Cup runners-up at the Parc des Princes on Thursday evening with in-form Brighton striker Evan Ferguson a frustrated by-stander after a knee injury forced his withdrawal from the squad, just as Ireland’s fledgling campaign reached crunch-point. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the talking points surrounding a crucial fixture in Paris. Evan help us Ferguson’s absence leaves Kenny facing a rethink after integrating the 18-year-old into his starting line-up in recent games. His two goals in six senior appearances to date – as well as the Premier League hat-trick he scored against Newcastle at the weekend – had established him as a credible weapon with which Ireland could hurt Didier Deschamps’ all-stars. Without him, the manager must piece together a frontline from his remaining frontmen – Adam Idah, Chiedozie Ogbene, Aaron Connolly and Will Keane – who have five international goals between them, with Luton’s Ogbene responsible for four of them. All right on the night? Seamus Coleman and Matt Doherty are two of Ireland’s most accomplished players, but their country’s misfortune is that both excel at right-back and successive managers have had to be inventive to get the pair into their team at the same time. With Coleman injured and Doherty suspended for the game at the Parc des Princes, Kenny needs to plug a sizeable gap. Preston’s Alan Browne, Bristol City summer signing Jason Knight or Festy Ebosele of Udinese, who is yet to win a senior cap, are the likely candidates for the wing-back role, although Kenny has hinted one of his central defenders could yet be redeployed. So near, yet so far Kenny’s men opened their campaign with a 1-0 home defeat by France, but things might have panned out very different. The visitors dominated the game in Dublin, but until a rare error from midfielder Josh Cullen allowed Benjamin Pavard to blast them in front, Kylian Mbappe and company had failed to trouble goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu unduly. Had it not been for a stunning late save from stopper Mike Maignan to deny Nathan Collins a last-gasp equaliser, the Republic might have emerged with something to show for their efforts. Similar resolve in Paris is the very least they will need to secure a better return. Point of no return? The Republic’s fate could be effectively decided by what happens in Paris and in Dublin on Sunday, when the Netherlands come to town, after the first three qualifiers yielded just three points. When the draw was made, it always looked like a battle between Ireland and Greece for third place behind two of Europe’s big guns and defeat in Athens in June gave Gus Poyet’s side the edge. Kenny has targeted this campaign since his appointment in April 2020 and logic suggests they need to win at least one of the two games to retain any hope at all. 2009 and all that Ireland and France have met on three occasions since, but for some the fixture will always rekindle memories of the night in November 2009 when Thierry Henry’s unnoticed handball at the Stade de France cost the Irish a trip to the World Cup finals. Wounds have healed over the last 14 years, but for assistant manager Keith Andrews and coach John O’Shea, who played that night, a measure of revenge in Paris might prove very welcome. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Port Vale unhappy with Robbie Williams – Wednesday’s sporting social Appeal for Daniel Dubois’ defeat to Oleksandr Usyk to be declared no-contest Rob Page: Wales would rather not play South Korea friendly with Latvia to come

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Rob Page says he wishes Wales were not playing a friendly against South Korea on Thursday. Wales are not in Euro 2024 action until Monday when they travel to Latvia for a crucial Group D qualifying clash. But UEFA regulations stipulate that nations in odd-numbered qualifying groups must fulfil blank dates in the calendar when group rivals are playing. Wales filled this date by arranging a Cardiff friendly with Jurgen Klinsmann’s South Korea, but the game has failed to capture the imagination of the Welsh public with only 11,500 tickets sold little more than 24 hours before kick-off. Page is expected to field a shadow side just four days before the Riga showdown with Latvia, and the under-fire Wales boss confirmed that skipper Aaron Ramsey would be absent while adding that Tottenham’s new £47.5million forward Brennan Johnson will be on the bench. But Page’s comments that he would rather not play the match will certainly do little to encourage fans who have paid for the privilege of watching it. “We have to take the friendly. I’d rather not play it, being completely honest with you,” Page said at his pre-match press conference. “We’ve had a couple of injuries anyway. The most important game for me is Monday and we’re having to manage players. “I’ve already got a plan in place, what players, what minutes they’ve played this season, who needs more minutes than others. “There will be plenty of substitutions. There will be some at half-time, some at the hour mark. We’ll be trying to get those players off the pitch unscathed and getting them ready for Monday.” Page has come under pressure following a run of only one win in 12 games either side of the 2022 World Cup when Wales finished bottom of their group and scored only one goal – a penalty from the now-retired Gareth Bale. Wales have picked up four points from as many Euro 2024 qualifiers and are seeking to recover from back-to-back June defeats to Armenia and Turkey. Qualifying for the tournament in Germany next summer through the play-offs now appears Wales’ best option. “Everybody in that changing room understands the difficulties involved,” Page said. We have to take the friendly. I’d rather not play it, being completely honest with you Rob Page “It’s not just about winning games of football now, it’s about the bigger picture. Everybody wants to win games of football but they understand, the senior players, that we have to start introducing younger players. “It’s nice to hear their backing (of the senior players). It means a lot, the world to me.” Joe Morrell and Kieffer Moore are suspended for the Latvia qualifier and set to start against South Korea. The pair became the latest Wales players to be sent off in June after Ethan Ampadu and Harry Wilson were red carded at Euro 2020 and Wayne Hennessey was shown his marching orders at the 2022 World Cup. Page said: “If we are going to compete at this level we need 11 players on the pitch. Both players regret the red cards. They were both disappointing. Kieffer’s red was a bit more disappointing because he rose to the bait. “They knew what they were doing and they are the masters of the dark arts at that level, and we fell for it. We are better than that and it will be addressed.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Matt Fagerson says being at World Cup with brother Zander ‘pretty special’ BBC’s director of sport Barbara Slater to retire after 40 years at broadcaster Sofyan Amrabat talks up importance of Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag on his career