Healy can put marker down - Worthington

Northern Ireland striker David Healy has been urged by Nigel Worthington to re-discover his scoring touch and deliver a message to Ricky Sbragia in the process.

Healy may be an iconic figure in the province after scoring 35 goals for his country but has still to win over the Sunderland boss and Worthington feels that the World Cup qualifiers against Poland and Slovenia are the ideal games for his star player to showcase his talents.

He said: "David has a chance to put a marker down to his club manager as Sunderland have not been free-scoring. If he can get a couple of goals here maybe things might turn around for him between now and the end of the season."

Healy has managed just one goal in the campaign for Northern Ireland after a record tally of 13 in the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Worthington said: "We have always known we could not just rely on David to get the goals.

"Other players have responded. Now we have to try and get David back on the scoresheet again."