#5 Jonny Evans
Trending
Jonny Evans is possibly the most well-known face in the Northern Ireland ranks, having been a member of the Manchester United squad from 2006 to 2015. Evans, who is a United youth product, graduated to the first team in 2006, the same year he made his international debut.
Having been part of the United squad that won almost every club level competition from 2006-11, he is no stranger to success. Evans has won 49 caps for his country and scored a solitary goal. Injuries have kept him from earning more caps despite spending almost a decade at the heart of the Irish backline. He averages only 5 international appearances a year.
Despite his injury troubles, Evans remains a talented defender who reads the game well. Rather than rely on brute force, Evans uses a good tactical sense to identify danger before it arrives and snuffs it out. His sense of positioning is remarkable and although he never quite became a permanent fixture in the United defence due to injuries, Sir Alex Ferguson’s persistence with him should speak volumes of his ability.
Come Thursday, fans of Northern Ireland shall fervently hope their defensive stalwart can quell the threat posed by the Ukrainian attack, effectively.
