Bailey Peacock-Farrell’s search for regular club football has taken him to Denmark this season but the Northern Ireland goalkeeper has never had to worry about getting a game for his country.
Installed as Michael O’Neill’s number one choice at the start of the Nations League campaign in 2018, Peacock-Farrell has had the place nailed down ever since, earning his 41st cap in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Kazakhstan in Astana.
The 26-year-old Burnley goalkeeper has played as many games games for Northern Ireland as any of the five professional clubs on his resume bar Sheffield Wednesday, for whom he turned out 47 times during a loan spell in 2021-22.
Peacock-Farrell has now joined Danish side AGF Aarhus on a season-long loan, but throughout frustrating periods at both Leeds and Burnley, it is Northern Ireland that has been the constant in his career.
“When I come away I try like everyone to play to the best of my ability and overall I’ve done quite well so far,” Peacock-Farrell told the PA news agency.
“Club level has not been amazing and there’s been inconsistencies in terms of game time. For the manager now (Michael O’Neill) and the manager before (Ian Baraclough) to stick by me is obviously a real nice vote of confidence.
“I’m just trying to rectify the club level now and that’s the aim this year.”
Peacock-Farrell has regularly proved himself as a shot-stopper for Northern Ireland when opportunities have not been there for him at club level.
“It’s 10 games a year (with Northern Ireland) so when you only get 10-15 games at club level in cups and so on, you add these 10 and you’ve still had an acceptable amount as a season,” he said. “And it’s another opportunity to perform for your country.”
After losing the Leeds starting berth to ex-Real Madrid stopper Kiko Casilla in January 2019, Peacock-Farrell moved to Burnley but was never able to win the number one position at Turf Moor.
After the season at Hillsborough, he served as back up to Aro Muric last term, making 16 appearances as Burnley earned promotion back to the Premier League.
But Vincent Kompany spent £20million to sign James Trafford this summer, and Peacock-Farrell knew he needed to look elsewhere.
He had options in the Championship but the challenge, both personal and professional, of moving to Denmark’s second city had greater appeal.
For a player raised in the north-east of England a little Scandinavian chill is not too much of a concern, and Peacock-Farrell has settled quickly.
“It’s really nice, a beautiful country, a great city,” he said. “It feels very natural and there’s been no issues settling.”
This season O’Neill will be collecting air miles keeping an eye not only on Peacock-Farrell but also Isaac Price at Standard Liege and Craig Cathcart at Kortrijk, but still relatively few British players make moves abroad.
“I’m not sure why,” Peacock-Farrell said. “Maybe it’s a cultural thing but maybe it’s because the Premier League is here and everyone wants to come.
“I had a couple of options in England and this one really stood out in terms of a different way of football. European football is so different to the Premier League, Championship, League One, so it was another learning experience and hopefully it’s a good one by the end of the season.”
A landmark 50th cap is now almost within sight for a player still young in goalkeeping terms, and he has ambitions of a full century.
“I got my 40th the other night and I’m really proud to say that,” added. “Now I’m pushing for the next milestone which is 50.
“We’ve got big players here on big caps, Jonny (Evans) and Davo (Steven Davis) when he comes back. There’s a long way to go but it’s a goal of mine.”
Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with Milan
Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.
Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.
"I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.
"Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."
Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.
"I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.
"This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."
Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.
"It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.
"We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."
Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.
Vlahovic out of Juventus clash with AC Milan
Dusan Vlahovic will miss Juventus' trip to AC Milan in Serie A this weekend and is also a doubt for the Champions League game at Aston Villa, head coach Thiago Motta has confirmed.
Vlahovic returned from the international break with a muscle problem in his left thigh, and the manager, after he confirmed the Serbian's absence for Saturday's game at San Siro, was asked about his chances of playing on Wednesday at Villa Park.
"I don't know. He definitely won't be there tomorrow. We hope to have him back as soon as possible," Motta told a press conference on Friday.
"Injuries are part of football. Now it's Vlahovic's turn, but we'll keep playing with the same principles, attacking and defending together."
Vlahovic is the latest of Motta's injury problems at Juventus. Argentine winger Nicolas Gonzalez missed the last six league games and is still unavailable, while Poland striker Arkadiusz Milik is a long-term absentee.
Brazilian midfielder Douglas Luiz will also miss the game with Milan and defender Juan Cabal recently suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury, the same issue which will keep fellow defender Gleison Bremer out for the rest of the season.
"I'm really disappointed for Cabal because, like Bremer, he'll be out for a long time," Motta said.
"This is another reason to push ourselves, to commit that bit more so that these absences don't weigh too heavily."
Juventus go into the game as the only unbeaten side in Serie A, but find themselves sixth in the standings in what is so far a very tight title race, with just two points separating Motta's side from leaders Napoli.
"It's very balanced and this is good for both us and the public," Motta said.
"We must all try to continue like this. We have to try to get as many positive results as possible."
Milan are one place behind Juve but six points off Motta's side.
Schwarz believes pressure will bring out the best in Red Bulls
New York Red Bulls head coach Sandro Schwarz says pressure is good for players as they prepare to face rivals New York City FC in the MLS Eastern Conference semifinal.
The Red Bulls beat defending MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first of their best-of-three series before edging them 5-4 on penalties in Game 2.
They are playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2018, though it is the first time they are meeting their city rivals in the postseason in their history.
Schwarz acknowledged there was a lot riding on this game but is sure the pressure can bring out the best in his team.
"To feel the pressure as a player and head coach is good," he told reporters. "We need the pressure to bring our best performance and level.
"Without pressure, it's not possible. Now we have this historic derby on Saturday and we're very excited.
"Our main target is to win this game, but our focus is to get a result like we had against Columbus. The last three weeks have been looking at how we can create our best performance for Saturday."
Meanwhile, NYCFC had to come from behind in round one after losing their first match to FC Cincinnati but won the second at home before going through with a 6-5 penalty shootout win in the decider.
Head coach Nick Cushing is delighted to have home advantage for the semifinal tie but says he is not yet thinking about securing the same fate in the next round.
"I've learned over my tenure here as assistant coach and as head coach that the next game is the most important part," Cushing said.
"The whole focus is hosting a playoff semifinal at home. We're really proud that we've done everything to get to this opportunity, but there are many more challenges ahead, and we cannot look further than the first 10 minutes of the game, because that is our main focus.
"And then, through there, we have a game plan and half-time. We're working through this game, and that is our whole focus."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
New York City FC – Alonzo Martinez
Twelve of Alonzo Martinez's 17 goals this season (regular season and playoffs) have been scored in home matches, while Santiago Rodriguez has scored 11 of his 13 goals at home.
Both players found the net in NYCFC's home win over Cincinnati in Game 2 of their first-round series.
New York Red Bulls – Emil Forsberg
Emil Forsberg became the 14th different Red Bulls player to record a goal and an assist in a single playoff match in Game 2 of New York's first-round series against Columbus Crew.
No player has more than one such game in the team's postseason history.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEW YORK CITY FC WIN
This will be the first playoff meeting between New York City FC and the Red Bulls, but the fifth in knockout rounds in all competitions.
The Red Bulls eliminated NYCFC in each of the previous four knockout round meetings, doing so in the US Open Cup three times and the Leagues Cup once.
NYCFC has won five of their eight all-time home playoff matches, including the last three in a row. All three teams that defeated NYCFC on the road in the playoffs went on to reach the MLS Cup Final (Toronto FC in 2016 & 2019, Atlanta United in 2018).
The Red Bulls' 1-0 win at Columbus in Game 1 on October 29 ended a six-match road losing streak in postseason play for the club. The Red Bulls have won multiple road playoff games in a single season twice before, doing so in 2008 and 2017.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
New York City FC – 46.5%
Draw – 26.5%
New York Red Bulls – 27%
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