West Brom defender Gareth McAuley included in Northern Ireland squad for World Cup qualifiers against Germany and Norway after injury recovery
- Northern Ireland are second behind Germany in group C of World Cup qualifying
- Gareth McAuley missed their previous wins over San Marino and Czech Republic
- The West Brom defender has been recalled to the squad for upcoming qualifiers
- Maiden call-ups given to Jordan Jones and George Saville by Michael O'Neill
- Northern Ireland will face Germany and Norway in their final two fixtures
West Brom's Gareth McAuley is back in Northern Ireland's squad for October's World Cup qualifiers with Germany and Norway, while midfielders Jordan Jones and George Saville are handed maiden call-ups.
McAuley, 37, missed the World Cup qualifying victories over San Marino and the Czech Republic with a thigh problem which resurfaced in the first half of the game against Azerbaijan in June.
The defender returned for the Baggies in last Wednesday's Carabao Cup defeat by Manchester City and will now return to a Northern Irish defensive unit which has kept seven clean sheets in eight qualifiers - more than any other European nation.
Gareth McAuley has been handed his return to the Northern Ireland squad after injury absence
There is still no place for Watford's Craig Cathcart, Sunderland's Paddy McNair and Nottingham Forest's Jamie Ward due to injury, while boss Michael O'Neill has left out Wigan striker Will Grigg once again.
O'Neill was in attendance when Grigg scored his first goal since January against Bristol Rovers earlier this month, but he has stuck with the quartet of Kyle Lafferty, Josh Magennis, Conor Washington and Shay McCartan.
There are two new faces in Kilmarnock's Jones and Millwall's Saville, both of whom were born in England.
The defender missed victories over San Marino and Czech Republic due to a thigh problem
While Kilmarnock's Jordan Jones has been handed a maiden call-up to the squad by O'Neill
Norther Ireland have confirmed a second place finish in group C at least
Jones previously represented Northern Ireland at youth level but withdrew himself from consideration as a teenager because he thought he could make it with the country of his birth.
He has since made a U-turn on that decision and was part of a Northern Ireland training squad earlier this summer.
Meanwhile, 24-year-old Saville, who came through Chelsea's academy, qualifies to represent O'Neill's team through his grandmother.
Northern Ireland host world champions Germany on October 5 before concluding their group campaign against Norway in Oslo three days later.
O'Neill's men have guaranteed at least second place in Group C and look primed to claim one of the eight play-off places on offer, with a two-legged tie in November standing between those countries and a place in Russia next summer.
Michael O'Neill's side will face Germany and Norway in their final two World Cup qualifiers
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