The Swiss also have the psychological edge after beating Ireland home and away in the qualifying stages for Euro 2004, most notably with a 2-0 victory last October at the same venue for tomorrow’s clash, St Jakob Park.

Although confidence is high in the Irish camp after their own opening triumph, the 3-0 win over Cyprus at Lansdowne Road, Kerr is eager to ensure the fervour following such an easy success does not spill over into blind optimism.

“We expected Switzerland to win on Saturday, although the number of goals they scored was surprising given the biggest defeat the Faroes suffered in qualification for the European Championship was 3-1 to Germany,” said Kerr.

“They did not concede too many in the group, so it was unusual for them. The extent of the victory, that they [Switzerland] won so clearly, that surprised me.

“Switzerland also twice beat us fair and square in qualification for the European Championship, and they have much the same team from when we last played them.

“I think they have only one player out who would probably play against us in [Alexander] Frei, who is suspended, while we are in different circumstances. We have three or four players we could have in the starting XI who are not available to us, so they are in the position of favourites.

“They are at home, they have just had a 6-0 win, so that is what we start from.”

Kerr, meanwhile, will at least be able to pull on the power of Roy Keane, who is to play through the pain barrier for club and country for potentially the next two months.

A week ago, Kerr had resigned himself to being without Keane for the opening World Cup qualifying matches after the 33-year-old fractured two ribs while on duty with Manchester United in a Champions League clash against Dinamo Bucharest.

Keane was expected to be out for more than three weeks and unlikely to return until the Manchester United clash with Liverpool in a fortnight, but has seemingly shown remarkable powers of recovery and is now in line to play in his first competitive international for almost three years.

“With the type of injury he has – a bang in the ribs – it might hurt for a few months, but you are able to play,” stated Kerr.

“That is a situation Roy could be in for a couple of months. He will have soreness in the ribs, but it does not mean they have not healed – let me make that clear. They have healed to the extent that it is an ongoing problem, but there is no danger of damaging them any further. That is the medical word on it, and as you know he played matches with it after sustaining the initial problem.

“He has had a period of rest and he has been able to train for the last few days, and I am delighted Manchester United have let him come. Roy wanted to come. He was very determined to give himself every chance, and he did what he had to do in relation to achieving that.”

Chelsea winger Damien Duff is rated as “50-50” by Kerr due to a calf injury sustained in the game with Cyprus, with a decision on whether he plays likely to be taken at the last minute.

Kerr also has to decide between Hearts’ Alan Maybury and Liverpool’s Steve Finnan for the left-back slot after John O’Shea returned to Manchester United yesterday with a small tear to his lower thigh muscle.