What did we learn from McArdle's first two games in charge?
McArdle has guided Northern Ireland to two wins over Malta in his first two games in charge
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It is a case of so far, so good for new Northern Ireland boss Michael McArdle, who has two wins from his first two games under his belt.
The Scottish manager masterminded a thumping 4-0 win over Malta at Mourneview Park on Tuesday before NI saw off the same opponents in a 4-2 thriller in Ta'Qali on Saturday.
The two victories move Northern Ireland one point behind Turkey in Group B2 in the race for second place and a more favourable play-off spot for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
Following two impressive wins, BBC Sport NI looks at what we've learnt from the new manager's first two games.
Goals, goals, goals
Nat Johnson was one of four players to score their first goals for Northern Ireland in this international window
Before McArdle was appointed as Tanya Oxtoby's permanent successor last month, Northern Ireland had gone four games without a goal.
In the lead up to the Malta double-header, McArdle had placed an emphasis on the "final third aspect" and ending NI's run as a shot-shy team.
NI certainly delivered in the goalscoring department with six different players shouldering the burden across the two games.
Keri Halliday scored her first two international goals in Lurgan with Danielle Maxwell and Joely Andrews also finding the net.
Incredibly the three players that scored on Saturday - Ellie Mason (two), Nat Johnson and Leyla McFarland all netted their first Northern Ireland goals.
The different type of goals scored across the two games will also please McArdle.
Two came from set pieces, two came from players getting on the end of crosses into the box and the other four fine individual efforts from different players.
The eight goals scored across the two games are more than Northern Ireland netted in the whole of 2025 and McArdle will hope they can continue to show a ruthless streak in their remaining two games of the campaign.
Direct style of play
Watch: Northern Ireland hit four in Malta
In order to score so many goals, Northern Ireland have tweaked their style of play under McArdle to be more direct.
They have switched to a four-three-three system; with an emphasis on getting the ball forward as quickly as possible.
Rebecca McKenna and Mason are encouraged to get forward from full-back with Halliday, Lauren Wade or Maxwell tasked with staying wide and delivering crosses for the forward or onrushing midfielders in Andrews and Megan Bell.
Bell has been rejuvenated in the first two games under McArdle, making the team tick while Mason has found a home at left back after previously playing as a centre-back in a back three.
The tweak has certainly made NI a more exciting team to watch and has yielded results with back-to-back wins including a first away victory since July 2024 breading confidence.
It will be interesting to see how they set-up against a side like Turkey or Switzerland however given they are not expected to be on the front foot as much against higher quality opposition.
McKenna earns interim captaincy
McKenna won her 61st cap against Malta on Saturday
Right-back McKenna has been handed the armband for both of McArdle's games which suggests she may be the chosen skipper in the absence of Simone Magill.
The 25-year-old has certainly earned the right given she is one of Northern Ireland's most consistent performers and has already racked up 61 caps despite her age.
In McArdle's previous role with the Scottish FA he focused a lot on youth development and while he did give Cora Chambers her debut, trusted McFarland with only her second start on Saturday and picked Halliday in both games, he has seemed to favour NI's more experienced players to get results in this window.
Aimee Kerr saw little game time across both games, Abi Sweetlove was an unused substitute for the double-header while McArdle thought Mia Moore would be better served having a final camp with the Under-19 side before she was ruled out through injury.
It suggests that the implementation of NI's next generation of talented teenagers will be a slow one with results the main focus at the minute, but McArdle's use and trust in Halliday shows he will reward talented young players when the time is right.
Still areas to improve
Northern Ireland conceded two poor goals against Malta in their victory
While McArdle will be satisfied with what he has managed to extract from his players in a short space of time, he will know there are still areas of improvement.
The caveat of NI's two impressive performances is that they came against a Malta side ranked 39 places below them in the world rankings.
Tougher tests are round the corner in June with a must-win game away to Turkey and a home fixture against the top seeds Switzerland.
McArdle will want his side to tighten up defensively for those games given they handed Malta multiple opportunities home and away, which a better side may have punished more.
Jackie Burns made one big save in the second half of the home game - denying Haley Bugeja's goal bound effort by tipping it onto the crossbar.
She thwarted Bugeja again on Saturday while NI gave away two poor goals with poor defending from the corner in which Maria Farrugia netted, and a defensive mix-up allowing Leah Ayres to net a consolation.
McArdle will know they can ill-afford similar slip-ups in June, but, given the work he has done already to fix a misfiring attack, he will be confident he can shore up a defence and help NI build on the solid foundations laid in his first two games.
