Boateng recalled by Germany; Özil and Khedira omitted

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Germany need just one point to secure place at 2018 Russia

Top of Group C with a clean sweep of eight straight wins, Germany need just one point to ensure direct qualification for the finals in Russia, either against Northern Ireland next Thursday in Belfast or at home to Azerbaijan on 8 October.

But several key players are missing from Löw's squad due to injury. In midfield, the defending world champions are without Mesut Özil, Sami Khedira and Mario Götze - the latter still below-par after having only returned in August following seven months off with a metabolic disorder. Missing from defence are Benedkit Hoewedes and Jonas Hector, while forward Mario Gomez is also out.

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Another key absence is that of goalkeeper and captain Manuel Neuer, who is sidelined until January after fracturing his left foot. Neuer’s last appearance for the national team was the 2-0 over Northern Ireland in Hanover in October 2016.

Löw has brought in Confederation Cup winners Sandro Wagner, Marvin Plattenhardt and forward Timo Werner, with Barcelona's Marc-André ter Stegen, who guarded the net against the Czech Republic and Norway earlier this month, keeping his place.

Germany squad

Goalkeepers: Bernd Leno (Bayer Leverkusen), Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona), Kevin Trapp (Paris Saint-Germain)

Defenders: Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Matthias Ginter (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Mats Hummels (Bayern Munich), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Shkodran Mustafi (Arsenal), Marvin Plattenhardt (Hertha Berlin), Antonio Ruediger (Chelsea), Niklas Suele (Bayern Munich)

Midfielders: Emre Can (Liverpool), Leon Goretzka (Schalke 04), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Sebastian Rudy (Bayern Munich), Leroy Sane (Manchester City), Amin Younes (Ajax), Sandro Wagner (Hoffenheim)

Forwards: Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Draxler (Paris Saint-Germain), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lars Stindl (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)