WORLD CUP 2010 qualifying:Slovenia v N Ireland - Maribor 7.45pm: MANCHESTER UNITED defender Jonny Evans yesterday returned to training, raising hopes he could face Slovenia in Maribor today. Evans (20) is on the mend after being struck down with a virus earlier in the week, which saw him stay at home rather than travel out with the squad.
Manager Nigel Worthington is pleased with the player's progress and said: "Jonny had a nice bright training session and come through that. We will assess him over the next 24 hours.
"He has had a rough week. He was very poorly on Tuesday and wasn't able to travel with us the following day. He had a slack day yesterday then was well enough to return to the group."
Worthington has no other worries with goalkeeper Maik Taylor almost certain to retain his place between the posts after recovering from a bout of flu.
Rangers duo Steven Davis and Kyle Lafferty are both set to return to the team after missing the draw against the Czech Republic last month.
West Brom midfielder Robert Koren will line up against Northern Ireland amid an air of renewed optimism in Slovenia.Four points from their opening two World Cup qualifiers has seen the feel-good factor return to the nation. So much so, tickets for the match at the 12,262-capacity Ljudski VRT Stadium were sold out in six days.
Koren (28) was named captain by coach Matjaz Kek for the opening qualifier in Poland and the team responded by securing a point. He kept the armband in the victory against a Slovakia side who had beaten Northern Ireland in their first game.
