Ukraine manager Andriy Shevchenko is unlikely to make too many changes to his starting lineup for Thursday's crucial Euro 2020 encounter with North Macedonia, despite suffering defeat against the Netherlands last weekend.

The 44-year-old opted to use a 4-3-3 formation ahead of a 3-5-2 system – which had been used in each of their opening three World Cup qualifiers against France, Finland and Kazakhstan in March – and he is set to stick with this setup in midweek.

Winger Oleksandr Zubkov could be the only enforced change made by Shevchenko, after the 24-year-old was substituted in the 13th minute against the Dutch with a foot injury.

Either Brazilian-born Marlos or Viktor Tsygankov could come in to the first XI as his replacement, and may join winger Andriy Yarmolenko and striker Roman Yaremchuk, who both scored on Sunday, in attack.

Eighteen-year-old Ilya Zabarnyi partnered Mykola Matviyenko at centre-back in the opening match, and both defenders are set to keep their places in the starting lineup.

Dynamo Kiev full-backs Oleksandr Karavayev and Vitaliy Mykolenko are also likely to remain in the back four, while goalkeeper Heorhiy Bushchan may be sweating over his position in the first XI after making a few mistakes in the 3-2 loss against the Dutch.

Shakhtar Donetsk stoppers Andriy Pyatov and Anatolii Trubin will both be waiting in the wings and will be ready if called upon to start on Thursday.

In midfield, Serhiy Sydorchuk is expected to start and sit just in front of the back four, although he will have to be careful as a yellow card received in the opening game means that he is now just one caution away from a suspension.

The 30-year-old could be joined in the middle of the pitch by Atalanta BC's Ruslan Malinovskyi and Manchester City's Oleksandr Zinchenko, who are both set to provide a creative spark in the final third.

Ukraine possible starting lineup: Bushchan; Karavayev, Zabarnyi, Matviyenko, Mykolenko; Malinovskyi, Sydorchuk, Zinchenko; Yarmolenko, Yaremchuk, Tsygankov

> Click here to see how North Macedonia could line up for this contest

Written by
Oliver Thomas