David Healy knows from bitter experience just how cool and clinical Eidur Gudjohnsen can be, and the two young hotshots will face each other when Northern Ireland play Iceland today.
Manchester United's Healy was on loan to first division team Port Vale in March and could only look on in admiration as Gudjohnsen inspired Bolton Wanderers to a 2-1 win.
That sort of form prompted Chelsea to fork out £4 million sterling for him in the summer and Healy knows he will be Iceland's main dangerman in the World Cup qualifier in the tiny Laugardalsvollur stadium.
"He absolutely tore our defence apart that day," said Healy of the game in Bolton. "He had everything. He was comfortable with the ball played into feet, he was pacy, strong and he just seemed to have all the attributes a striker needs. I think he scored the first one as well as setting up their second.
"He's a player who scores goals and that was a great goal he scored for Chelsea against Liverpool the other week.
"We know all about him and we will have to be on our guard against him."
Healy, who will once again play as a lone striker, will require just as close attention from Iceland and his magnificent effort in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Denmark took his tally to five goals in six games.
He will be central to Northern Ireland's chances of adding to their four points from their first two games.
Iceland are bottom of Group Three after losing games against Denmark and the Czech Republic. "If we want to do anything in this group then we've to start winning," Gudjohnsen said.
He pointed out that they had probably met the two strongest teams in the group and had had some good results at home. "We've beaten Russia here and drawn against France, so expectations will be high, especially against Northern Ireland who are not as big a team as Denmark or the Czech Republic."
Northern Ireland have not won a competitive away match since beating Latvia 1-0 in April 1995 and victory today would prove that manager Sammy McIlroy is making real progress.
Damien Johnson came through a fitness test yesterday and will replace Jeff Whitley on the right wing in the only change from Saturday. Gerry Taggart, who has not trained because of his knee problem, is expected to play.
ICELAND (probable): B Kristinsson; Jonsson, Sverrisson, Hreidarsson, Helgason; Trygguason, Kolvidsson, R Kristinsson, Helguson; Gudjohnsen, Dadason.
NORTHERN IRELAND (probable): Carroll; A Hughes, Taggart, Murdock, Lomas; Elliott, Horlock, Lennon, Magilton, Johnson; Healy.
