Republic of Ireland are coming into this fixture after a stunning victory over Italy in their last group stage fixture of Euro 2016. Martin O'Neill's side have played some wonderful football and they will look to emulate that performance against hosts France in the round-of-16 clash of Euro 2016 at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday.
France, on the other hand, did not look convincing in their first couple of matches against Romania and Albania. They left it till late to secure those three points from these two matches to enter the round of 16 of Euro 2016. They also could not seal a victory against Switzerland as well, who were knocked out of Euro 2016 by Poland in penalties on Saturday.
There is no doubt that Didier Deschamps is managing a talented French side, who are being considered one of the favourites to clinch the Euro 2016 title. But they have looked threatening only on certain occasions, lacking consistency in this edition of the Euro.
Deschamps is likely to play it safe against an energised Republic of Ireland side by including his best players in the starting XI. We had seen how he had rested Antoine Greizmann and Paul Pogba against Albania in their second match of Euro 2016. But Deschamps is unlikely to take any risk against Martin O'Neill's Irish side after what they did to Italy in their last game. Olivier Giroud and N'Golo Kante are also going to feature in the starting XI.
Dimitri Payet has had a terrific Euro 2016 so far and will definitely be one of the key players against Republic of Ireland. Deschamps is no tinkerman and he is surely going to play the side that played against Switzerland in the last game, and by the looks of it, he is unlikely to drop Blaise Matuidi.
O'Neill's side had showed tremendous grit against the Azzurri as Robbie Brady's 84th-minute winner had sent the Irish fans into delirium. O'Neill will want his side to come out all guns blazing against France as well.
However, he is likely to make some changes to his team ahead of their clash against France. Stephen Ward got himself injured during their game against Italy and he is going to miss this crucial fixture. Jonathan Walters, who had missed the last game due to an achilles injury, is likely to return to the starting XI against France. John O'Shea Ciaran Clark could be at the bench yet again as Shane Duffy and Richard Keogh have done decently.
Expected starting XI:
France: Lloris, Sagna, Rami, Koscielny, Evra, Pogba, Kante, Matuidi, Griezmann, Payet, Giroud.
Republic of Ireland: Randolph, Coleman, Duffy, Keogh, Ward, Hendrick, McCarthy, Brady, McClean, Murphy, Long.
