Manager Lawrie Sanchez saw his selection options improve dramatically last night when four of the five players who pulled out of today's World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan became available for the match with Austria on Wednesday.

Norwich's Paul McVeigh, George McCartney of Sunderland, Gary Hamilton of Portadown and Crewe's Steve Jones will thus come into contention.

Danny Sonner of Peterborough remains absent because of a family bereavement.

The sudden availability of the quartet followed the decision by Sanchez to invoke FIFA's four-day rule. Had they not attended the Austria match, they would have been ineligible to play next weekend.

Sanchez explained his dilemma earlier when he said: "The clubs are not happy. But all international managers have a problem with call-offs whether you are at the top or the bottom.

"But when we come to World Cup games, FIFA allow me to have priority for these players.

"The four-day rule is for those clubs, players, whatever, who might think, 'I will miss this trip and be available for my club'. It just takes it out of the equation for them."

Sanchez will be forced to make at least three changes from the team that drew in Wales, as leading scorer David Healy, Michael Hughes and Tony Capaldi are all suspended.

Stuart Elliott (Hull), Tommy Doherty (Bristol City) and Chris Baird (Southampton) look set to return to the starting line-up in Baku.

World Cup legend Carlos Alberto claims Azerbaijan could finish in a play-off spot for the first time behind England but ahead of Northern Ireland and Wales.

The next week will be crucial to the hopes of the 60-year-old coach, who captained Brazil when they defeated Italy in the 1970 final in Mexico.

Carlos Alberto, who took charge in February, said: "The only result I would be satisfied with against Northern Ireland is a victory as that is the only way to survive in the competition."