Ryan Manning has urged the Republic of Ireland to use every trick in the book to find a way into next summer's World Cup finals.
Tuesday night’s ground-out 1-0 win over Armenia in Dublin, coupled with Hungary’s 2-2 draw in Portugal, means Heimir Hallgrimsson’s men are still alive in Group F – if only just – heading into difficult closing fixtures against Cristiano Ronaldo and company at the Aviva Stadium and the Hungarians in Budapest next month.
It is likely that Ireland, who drew 2-2 with Hungary at home in their opening fixture and lost 1-0 in devastating fashion in Lisbon on Saturday, will need to take at least four points from those games, but Southampton midfielder Manning is backing them to give it a real go.
Asked about the showdown with Portugal, the 29-year-old said: "I think Hungary going there and getting a point, we should have got a point away there. They’re obviously a team full of superstars.
"We’re a good, solid defensive team, we have shape right, we transition well, the crowd behind us and if you get the Aviva rocking, it can be a really tough place to come.
"We just have to use every sort of trick of the trade we have. It has to be an unbelievable performance, but I think we can definitely go and get something from that game."
Manning will not be involved against Portugal after picking up a second booking of the campaign for pulling back Armenia’s Kamo Hovhannisyan, with Jayson Molumby similarly suspended. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes will also have to sit the game out.
Manning said: "As my hand went out, in my head I was like, 'Don’t close it’, and somehow I dragged it back.
"But look, we’ve got a massive squad of talented lads who are ready to step in, so whoever the gaffer puts in next camp against Portugal will be ready to go and there to help the team.
"But I was disappointed from a personal perspective."
It has proved a difficult campaign to date for Ireland, who came back from 2-0 down to take a point against Hungary but then lost 2-1 in Armenia before Ruben Neves’ stoppage-time header robbed them of a creditable draw in Lisbon, leaving them with little room for manoeuvre.
Victory over the Armenians, who are ranked 103rd in the world, will do little to appease their critics, but Manning for one remains upbeat.
He said: "Confidence is there, I think it’s just difficult. It’s nearly like knockout football, every game is massive.
"We had such a sort of game of two halves against Hungary where in the end we were disappointed to come away with just a point, and then obviously Armenia, it was just such a poor performance.
"And you go away to Portugal, it’s a tough place to go, so confidence was probably a little bit low coming into the camp.
"But we had good training, built up to the Portugal game, had a game plan and executed it for 91 minutes out there. I think then to get the win (against Armenia), it was just massive."
