The only side in Nations League yet to concede? Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland have kept seven clean sheets in their past nine Nations League games

Live on BBC iPlayer, BBC One NI, BBC Three, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Ulster, BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary available online.

When Switzerland equalised in the 11th minute of their eventual 2-1 win over Slovakia on Saturday, there was just one team left in the 2026-27 Uefa Nations League yet to concede a goal - Northern Ireland.

Michael O'Neill's side have kept three consecutive clean sheets upon their return to the second tier of the competition, beating Georgia and Ukraine to nil with a scoreless stalemate against Hungary in between during this window.

Indeed, across this campaign and the 2024-25 edition when Northern Ireland played in League C, they have kept seven clean sheets in their past nine Nations League games, conceding just three goals in the process.

Should they manage to keep Georgia out again in Belfast on Monday night, it will be the side's longest run of clean sheets in nine years.

They did live somewhat dangerously in the reverse fixture in Tbilisi, with goalkeeper Pierce Charles saving a penalty from Paris St-Germain forward Khvicha Kvaratskhelia in a player of the match performance.

Despite the absence of Daniel Ballard and Conor Bradley through injury, the Queens Park Rangers loanee has had precious little to do in the two games since, however.

Hungary had their only shot on target in injury time at Windsor Park last week, while the side's record goalscorer David Healy described the stopper's two saves in the 3-0 victory against Ukraine as "ones for the camera".

"I think the clean sheets are a real plus for us and we want to maintain that because history tells us that Northern Ireland are never the highest scoring team," said O'Neill.

"If you look at the xG [Expected Goals] in the games, people have different opinions on that, but the xG for the opposition has been low and that means we've got a good defensive structure.

"It means our young defenders are coping with the game at this level, but it also means that we defend well as a team and the best teams do that."

NI team will 'have bumps along the road' - O'Neill

Who has 'no ceiling' as Northern Ireland shine in Nations League?

Always evident in an effective O'Neill team is a desire to work hard off the ball. If Isaac Price, who scored his 11th international goal against Ukraine, is the closest thing the side have to a flair player, the West Bromwich Albion attacker still covers plenty of ground going the other way.

"You watch PSG, and their willingness to defend and to run, is a great example," added O'Neill.

"We have that ability to run when we lose the ball. We've got great recovery runners in our team, and that's a big reason why teams have found it difficult against us."

Already in this extended international window, O'Neill has talked of what he perceives as a "snobbery" about his team's style of play.

Comments made by then Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann last October were branded "disrespectful" by former Northern Ireland defender Stephen Craigan at the time, while opposition managers have frequently used words such as direct or physical in the months since.

Against Ukraine on Friday, Northern Ireland had 27.2% possession, according to Opta the lowest recorded in Nations League history for a win by more than one goal.

"We see some of the best teams play with very little possession as well. Sometimes you have teams who have a lot of possession but struggle to do anything with it," said O'Neill.

"You can control the game without the ball as much as with the ball."

Highlights: Northern Ireland top of group with seven points from three games

Northern Ireland's long-ball statistics can be skewed somewhat by the fact that goalkeeper Pierce Charles possesses such a fantastic range of passing, and O'Neill cited his side's second goal against Ukraine as an example of the football his side can play.

"The quality of our play shouldn't be underestimated," he said.

"Our second goal against Ukraine, that's as good a goal as you'll see. The number of passes and how we worked the ball the full length of the pitch, the cross and the header.

"If you said 'would you love 60% possession?' then of course we would, but at this minute in time, that's an area to improve on.

"People have opinions, but really the only opinion that counts to me is that of the players and the belief that the players have."

On the evidence of recent results, that is no area of concern and Northern Ireland's defensive solidity is not just confined to the Nations League.

In all competitions they have kept eight clean sheets from their past 10 games at home and on Monday night Georgia will look to become the first visitors to Belfast to score more than once since Cyprus in June 2022.

"I think over the last three or four years, we've played the same system and I think boys are getting more comfortable and they understand their jobs," said Sunderland defender Trai Hume.

"That's not just the starting XI, it's the boys that come into the team who understand what they have to do too. On and off the ball you understand where you have to be on the pitch and, when you understand that, it makes the game a lot easier.

"Once you understand your role in the system, that's when you can start to express yourself and I think you're starting to see that."

Kaynak: BBC · Özgün metin İngilizcedir.