Thursday Football Tips: Side with Sorloth for Norway in Dublin

• Sorloth has 2+ shots on target in five of last 11 games

• Elyounoussi has had 11 shots in eight games

• Norway have won five of last eight away games

While everyone else has World Cup fever, the Republic of Ireland and Norway meet on Thursday already looking at Euro 2024 after failing to qualify for Qatar.

Sadly there's no Erling Haaland at the World Cup and the Man City man will also sit this one out as he recovers from injury.

Pep Guardiola and Norway coach Stale Solbakken have agreed that 23-goal Haaland will not be risked in Dublin, but he could return for their home tie with Finland on Sunday.

Norway still have a touch of quality even without Haaland, notably with skipper Martin Odergaard who has shone with Arsenal as the Gunners sit top of the Premier League.

The Norwegians are just seven places higher in the FIFA rankings than the Irish, in 42nd, but look to have a lot more experience and quality than Stephen Kenny's young side.

They'd lost only once in 13 before back-to-back defeats at the end of their most recent Nations League campaign - and that stands up well against Kenny's seven wins in 28 as Republic boss.

Kenny might be tempted to hand young Brighton striker Evan Ferguson a senior debut at some stage at the Aviva Stadium, with Callum Robinson, Michael Obafemi and Chiedozie Ogbene more experienced options.

The bookies can hardly split these two, and a lot will depend on the line-ups, but with this extended break there's no reason why Norway won't go pretty strong, and I'd just give them the nod if pushed.

Alexander Sorloth might get a few extra chances without Haaland playing, and he finished the first half of this season brilliantly for Real Sociedad with three goals in two games.

Sorloth also loves a shot, hitting the target in eight of the last 11 games, with five of those games seeing him have multiples shots on target.

At 9/4 for 2+ shots on target here we'll happily back him to maintain that form.

Mohamed Elyounoussi does not quite have the stats you'd like, but he's shown plenty of promise for Southampton recently, with 11 shots in eight games.

Only three hit the target but he's been getting into the right areas and if he plays like he has then a shot on target shouldn't be too much of a problem.