'Lethal' Evan Ferguson's clear message to Heimir Hallgrimsson ahead of Ireland v Greece

Ireland play Greece at the Karaiskakis Stadium - home of Olympiakos - in Piraeus on Sunday night at 7.45pm

'Lethal' Evan Ferguson has told Heimir Hallgrimsson that he can do a job on the double.

The Brighton striker is still trying to build his match sharpness following a serious ankle injury in April.

Thursday’s win over Finland in Helsinki was his first start of the season for club or country - but he insists he can face Greece tomorrow.

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Hallgrimsson used him off the bench in last month’s defeats to England and Greece, but felt he was ready to impact the games in this window from the outset.

And the 19-year-old was a handful, causing the Finns trouble before Troy Parrott replaced him for the closing 20 minutes.

Hallgrimsson will check on the teenager today to see if he is up to starting two games in four days, but admits Ferguson wants in.

“He says so, at least,” said the Ireland boss. “He is good. Let’s see how he is [today], that’s the most important part, how players are when they wake up.”

But Hallgrimsson is excited to work with Ferguson, still one of the Premier League’s rising stars despite a restricted role this season.

“He’s a different kind,” explained the Icelander. “We have a lot of runners and he’s so good on the ball.

“At his feet, he doesn’t need much time in the box to finish and when he is 100% fit he will be lethal for us.

“To get close to 70 minutes is good for his confidence coming into the next game and the season showing he is fit enough.”

Hallgrimsson was also pleased with Finn Azaz’s performance against Finland, having come into the side for his competitive debut.

The Middlesbrough midfielder played just off lone striker Ferguson and was an attacking threat with the Ireland boss confident there is more to come from him.

“He’s been playing really well with Middlesbrough, in a role probably that we needed,” explained Hallgrimsson.

“He’s the guy that can have the final pass, seeing the runs. We had some really good runs in behind against Greece at home last month, but we didn’t see them or use them

“He’s a clever guy on the ball, that was the thought process to have a player a little bit deeper than Evan, to find these runs, these pockets.”

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