Sheffield United: Quartet set for one of the biggest games in their country's history

John Egan, David McGoldrick, Enda Stevens and Callum Robinson will be summoned to Dublin following Saturday's visit to Tottenham Hotspur, before beginning their preparations for the meeting with Denmark later this month.

With the two sides level on points at the top of their qualification group, McCarthy has compared the fixture's significance to the meeting with Holland in 2001 - which saw the Irish guarantee themselves a play-off to reach the World Cup finals - and their subsequent appearance in Tehran, where the now 60-year-old masterminded the win responsible for taking them to Japan and South Korea.

"Look, it has turned out to be a massive occasion," said McCarthy, who will name his picks for the meeting with Åge Hareide's team today. "It's Holland here, it's Iran away, it's a huge game, one to get excited about. We'll have to play well, we played well in Copenhagen, we'll have to play better again to beat them in Dublin."

"I'm excited now, I might get nervous closer to the game," McCarthy added. "I hope I do, if I don't get nervous coming up to a big match like this then I shouldn't be doing this job."

Egan, Stevens and Robinson were all involved in Ireland's game against Switzerland last month but McGoldrick was forced to miss the trip to Geneva through injury. Now recovered, McCarthy's willingness to consider parachuting him into the squad at the last moment - something United had approved - speaks volumes about the centre-forward's importance to both Chris Wilder and his counterpart in Ireland. Wilder, the United manager, explained allowing McGoldrick, who has started all of his club's Premier League matches since being passed fit, would potentially accelerate his return at domestic level.

Ireland face New Zealand in a friendly before their meeting with the Danes but McCarthy is unlikely to select all of the United quartet for that clash. Robinson, who watched the win over Burnley from the bench, could feature if he also fails to appear in London.

United's John Fleck and Oli McBurnie were called up by Scotland earlier this week. Naomi Hartley, Becky Flaherty and Veatriki Sarri of Sheffield United Women are representing England under-19's, Northern Ireland and Greece respectively during the international break.