Ireland boss Mick McCarthy has picked the same eleven players who started against Holland for the game against Portugal in Lisbon on Saturday night.

McCarthy knows the importance of the game against the Portuguese. If Ireland manage to avoid defeat in Lisbon it will set them up nicely for the remainder of their Group 2 World Cup qualifiers.

In turn, it will put an awful lot of pressure on both Holland and Portugal who meet in Amsterdam next Wednesday.

The only fitness doubt in the eleven is goalkeeper Alan Kelly. Kelly has missed the last three games for his club, Blackburn Rovers, with a thigh strain but McCarthy is confident that he will play on Saturday against the Portuguese.

Carr, Dunne, Breen and Harte keep their places in a flat back four, which comes as no surprise.

Carr and Harte did little wrong against the Dutch while Dunne and Breen were outstanding. It was definitely Breen's best game in the green of Ireland and it is hoped that he carries the form forward for the second group game.

The Irish midfield is as strong as any midfield in the world. Captain Roy Keane anchors the middle and is ably assisted by Charlton's Mark Kinsella and Jason McAteer on the right, with Kevin Kilbane on the left.

McCarthy got a lot of stick for picking McAteer ahead of Gary Kelly for the Dutch game but his decision proved the right one, as McAteer showed some of his old form and even got on the scoresheet.

On the other side, Kevin Kilbane can be a handful for any defence. When the giant winger gets a head of speed and runs at players, he is near impossible to stop and if only he was more confident in front of goal he could become the complete player.

McCarthy used the 4-4-2 formation against Holland and it worked for long periods of the game and with Portuguese football so much like the Dutch game he sees no reason to change, picking Robbie Keane and Niall Quinn to start up front.

Ireland's failings in other tournament qualification groups has been their away form. McCarthy nearly always played only one player up front, which put too much pressure on the Irish midfield and ultimately the backs.

McCarthy's more positive approach this time round has delighted everybody and long may it continue.

Ireland to face Portugal:
Alan Kelly (Blackburn), Stephen Carr (Tottenham), Richie Dunne (Everton), Gary Breen (Coventry), Ian Harte (Leeds), Jason McAteer (Blackburn), Roy Keane (Man Utd), Mark Kinsella (Charlton), Kevin Kilbane (Sunderland), Robbie Keane (Inter Milan), Niall Quinn (Sunderland)