Berlin: Will Grigg is on fire, as the chant states, but the Wigan striker will be watching Northern Ireland’s World Cup qualifier away to Germany at home on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old became a cult figure at Euro 2016 with Northern Ireland fans’ infectious “Will Grigg’s On Fire (your defence is terrified)” chant, despite the fact he did not play a minute of the campaign.

He has since scored six goals in 11 appearances for Wigan this season, but misses Norn Iron’s 2018 qualifier against world champions Germany in Hanover because his partner has recently given birth.

“It’s a blow for Will. He’s been on the scoresheet, but I had a good chat with him and he didn’t feel being here was right,” said Northern Irish manager Michael O’Neill.

Grigg also sat out Saturday’s 4-0 win over minnows San Marino in Belfast when Kyle Lafferty came off the bench to score two late goals.

Germany are top of the World Cup qualifying group while Northern Ireland are third after two matches.

In Grigg’s absence, Lafferty of Norwich City, Conor Washington of Queens Park Rangers and Leeds United’s Stuart Dallas will be vying to start up front against Germany.

Lafferty has scored nine goals in 11 qualifiers for Northern Ireland, but is lacking match fitness after finding himself mainly on the bench at Norwich this season.

O’Neill has warned his team to expect a backlash after Germany failed to win the Euro 2016 title.

The Northern Irish lost 1-0 to Joachim Low’s world champions during the group stages and know what to expect in Hanover.

“We played them recently in the Euros — that’s a big thing in our favour,” said O’Neill.

“If you look at their first two games, they’re reacting, possibly, to not having won in France,” he added after Germany posted 3-0 wins over Norway and the Czech Republic in their opening qualifiers.

“We have to be ready for that backlash, because I think they’ve started this campaign in a different mindset than possibly they did for the Euros when they dropped points against teams that I think they wouldn’t normally do.”

Northern Ireland have not conceded a goal in five of their last seven qualifiers, but face a bit test against the world champions.

Bayern Munich striker Thomas Mueller has scored four goals in his last two games for the Germans, but the Irish are aware of the task which faces them.

“(A positive result) would be just any points on the board,” said Washington.

“Teams have gone there and got points before, so I can’t see why we can’t go and do that.”