A lot at stake in this game, with Crusaders at 4th and Linfield at 1st. Here's a full preview!
- Crusaders is in the best form (5-0-1) in Premiership
- Linfield have the fewest conceded goals (22) in Premiership
These teams are located so close to each other that their supporters eat in the same restaurants, hang out at the same night clubs and give birth at the same hospitals. This means added importance to the game and a vibrant atmosphere.
There’s little time for restitution or working hard at the training pitch these days, with both teams having played their last game less than four days ago.
Crusaders form and stats
The complete Premiership statistics at home this season for Crusaders are 9-3-4 (wins-draws-losses).
Crusaders drew their last game, also a home match. Linfield was the opponent, 0-0 the score.
In the game before, an away victory match versus Coleraine with a 4-1 scoreline.The Crusaders fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 22 in 16 matches. Crusaders have only conceded 11 from their league home games. For more goal stats, check the Statistics tab above.
Linfield form and stats
Linfield have an excellent away record in the Premiership so far with 10-4-3 from 17 games. With three draws in a row for Linfield the feeling in the team is perhaps one of both relief and disappointment.
It's another away game for the visitors, as they travelled to Crusaders in their previous outing. The match ended in a draw 0-0.
Preceding that match was the 1-1 draw at home vs Glentoran.Linfield has displayed an ability to score goals in away matches in the league this season, 31 goals from 17 games. It's been trouble in front of goal recently, as only 2 of these goals has been scored in their last three away matches. They concede less than a goal on average per away game (15 so far). There's been improvement defensively lately, as only 1 of these goals has been conceded in their last three away matches.
Head 2 Head
These teams played each other earlier on this season: Linfield - Crusaders 3-2. Head-to-head statistics (for the former ten meetings): Crusaders won two games, one match ended in a draw and Linfield have seven wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: seven / threeTop Goalscorers
  C. Manzinga 17 goals |   B. Kennedy 11 goals | P. Heatley 10 goals |
Crusaders missing players
Linfield missing players
| Crusaders | Linfield | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 36 | 17 | 3 | Played | P | 4 | 19 | 36 |
| 21 | 9 | 0 | Won | W | 1 | 10 | 22 |
| 5 | 4 | 1 | Drew | D | 2 | 6 | 11 |
| 10 | 4 | 2 | Lost | L | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| 55 | 22 | 2 | Scored | S | 5 | 31 | 63 |
| 29 | 11 | 4 | Conceded | C | 3 | 15 | 23 |
| 89% | 82% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 75% | 79% | 89% |
| 64% | 59% | 67% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 50% | 68% | 72% |
| 42% | 41% | 33% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 50% | 58% | 44% |
| 22% | 12% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 25% | 16% | 17% |
| 11% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 11% | 11% |
| 33% | 35% | 67% | BTTS | BTTS | 25% | 42% | 42% |
| 47% | 47% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 50% | 47% | 53% |
| 31% | 35% | 33% | Failed to Score | F T | 50% | 32% | 17% |
| 4.8 | 5.4 | 4.3 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 3.8 | 5.6 | 6.1 |
| 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.3 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 6.2 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| 2 | 1.8 | 3 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 9.4 | 9.4 | 8.3 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 7.8 | 6.5 | 7.7 |
| 4.2 | 3.8 | 3.7 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.7 |
| 37% | 34% | 18% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 45% | 58% | 47% |
| 6.8 | 5.4 | 6 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 12 | 7.8 | 7.2 |
| 3.2 | 3 | 3.7 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 3 | 2.6 | 2.4 |
- Crusaders have the fewest conceded goals in the first half (9) in Premiership
- Crusaders have the fewest dropped points from leading position (5) in Premiership
- Crusaders is in the best form (5-0-1) in Premiership
- Linfield have played more matches over 2,5 goals away than home.
- Linfield have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded.
- Linfield have the fewest conceded goals (22) in Premiership
- Linfield have the fewest conceded goals in the second half (11) in Premiership
- Linfield have the most clean sheets (18) in Premiership
- Linfield have the most matches under the total-line (17) in Premiership
- Linfield have the most scored goals (31) away in Premiership
- Linfield have the most scored goals in the first half (36) in Premiership
- Linfield have the the best goal difference (+40) in Premiership
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Linfield | 33 | 22 | 8 | 3 | 62 | 22 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 7 | 17 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 15 | 40 | 74 |
| 2 | Cliftonville | 33 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 54 | 24 | 16 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 11 | 17 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 25 | 13 | 30 | 73 |
| 3 | Glentoran | 33 | 21 | 6 | 6 | 64 | 34 | 16 | 10 | 2 | 4 | 34 | 20 | 17 | 11 | 4 | 2 | 30 | 14 | 30 | 69 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 33 | 19 | 4 | 10 | 47 | 28 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 22 | 11 | 17 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 25 | 17 | 19 | 61 |
| 5 | Larne | 33 | 15 | 8 | 10 | 56 | 38 | 17 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 26 | 17 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 30 | 21 | 18 | 53 |
| 6 | Coleraine | 33 | 13 | 9 | 11 | 50 | 32 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 27 | 11 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 48 |
| 7 | Glenavon | 33 | 12 | 9 | 12 | 46 | 44 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 19 | 24 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 27 | 20 | 2 | 45 |
| 8 | Ballymena United | 33 | 13 | 5 | 15 | 38 | 46 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 24 | 19 | 17 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 14 | 27 | -8 | 44 |
| 9 | Dungannon Swifts | 33 | 9 | 1 | 23 | 40 | 81 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 22 | 42 | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 18 | 39 | -41 | 28 |
| 10 | Carrick Rangers | 33 | 6 | 7 | 20 | 33 | 62 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 18 | 28 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 11 | 15 | 34 | -29 | 25 |
| 11 | Portadown | 33 | 5 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 63 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 22 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 41 | -35 | 24 |
| 12 | Warrenpoint Town | 33 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 30 | 74 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 20 | 48 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 26 | -44 | 12 |
