Manchester United Defender Paddy McNair Included in Northern Ireland Squad

Manchester United youngster Paddy McNair has been named in the Northern Ireland squad for the first time.

The 19-year-old has been called upon by manager Martin O'Neill for the upcoming European Championship qualifier against Romania, with Jonny Evans still unavailable due to injury.

The defender missed out on a debut call-up for qualifiers against Faroe Islands and Greece after suffering a hamstring injury in October but will deputise for Aaron Hughes for the trip to Bucharest on 14 November.

McNair's inclusion in his national team squad continues his impressive rise from relative obscurity this season. Amid an injury crisis that saw Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal left with just one centre-half option in October, McNair was called into the United first team ahead of his defensive partner at Under-21 level, Tom Thorpe.

In his full debut for the club in a 2-1 win over West Ham United at Old Trafford, he won plaudits with a remarkable goal-saving header that denied Carlton Cole equalising for the Hammers.

McNair played the full 90 minutes in the following game against Everton, another 2-1 win, before coming off the bench to replace the injured Marcos Rojo in the derby against Manchester City on Sunday 2 November, slotting into a patchwork back line featuring midfielders Antonio Valencia and Michael Carrick.

With Evans, Rojo, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling all unavailable for United's next game against Crystal Palace, Van Gaal is expected to hand McNair a third Premier League start on Saturday 8 November.