Arsenal teenager Ceadach O'Neill has pulled out of the Northern Ireland squad because of injury.
The 18-year-old has made four senior appearances for his country, all of them as a substitute. He was hoping to earn his first start after being called up for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against Ukraine and Hungary.
O'Neill missed Arsenal Under-21's 5-2 win over Aston Villa on Sunday with the injury, and the same problem has now stopped him from joining up with Northern Ireland.
Manager's Reaction
Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill said: "We're naturally disappointed to be without Ceadach for the final two games of the campaign. He has been a great asset to the squad in the last international window and everyone here wishes him a swift recovery."
The setback comes after a promising period for the winger. O'Neill has impressed Mikel Arteta in training with the Arsenal first team and made his senior debut in the Carabao Cup.
Recent Progress
He was one of the few players to perform well for Arsenal in the shock defeat to Fleetwood, with his cross setting up Viktor Gyokeres' equaliser. O'Neill was then included in the travelling squad for the match against Liverpool at Anfield and was the extra man on matchday.
Without O'Neill, Northern Ireland will try to secure promotion in the Nations League. They sit top of Group B2, one point ahead of Hungary and four points clear of Ukraine before the final two matches. Finishing top would bring promotion to League A, while second place would mean a spot in the promotion play-offs.
