Premiership: Two participants who have done nicely up to now. Get smart on Crusaders - Linfield with this broad guide!
- Crusaders have the most scored goals (49) in Premiership
- Linfield have the the best goal difference (+28) 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.
It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Crusaders and Linfield.
Crusaders form and stats
Crusaders have been very solid at home in the Premiership so far, with 31 points collected from 12 matches (10-1-1). This has contributed greatly to their 4th position in the table. Ever since the Ballymena United game Crusaders has been unbeatable here at Seaview producing four straight wins.
An away draw last time out for Crusaders, facing Larne in a game that ended 0-0.
Ahead of that match, Crusaders won a home game hosting Newry City AFC (3-1).The bookmakers consider this a fairly even contest. One could say only the home advantage separates the teams. It could be relevant to look at how Crusaders have performed in matches similar to this (as small favourites). Our database has found 6 matches with the results: Won 2, drawn 2 and lost 2.
Crusaders are an "over 2,5 goals" team alone here at Seaview in their league games, having scored an impressive 33 goals in 12 matches. From these home matches, Crusaders have conceded only 10 goals.
Linfield form and stats
The away team have been very comfortable on their travels so far, racking up 8 wins, 1 draw and only 3 losses in the Premiership.
Linfield go into this game after a win, the home game against Ballymena United that ended 3-0.
Before that, 0-0 away against Larne in the County Antrim Shield. So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Linfield playing away and similar expectations, we found 6 relevant matches. Results were 3 Linfield wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat.
Linfield have another game that requires travelling in just four nights, a Premiership game vs Portadown. A rough itinerary for the visiting team!
With an average of more than two away goals per league game away, Linfield are regular goalscorers on their travels. They concede less than a goal on average per away game (8 so far).
Head 2 Head
Linfield - Crusaders 0-0 was the end result in these sides' last head to head match, played this season. H2H stats regardless of arena (last ten matches): Crusaders two wins, one draw and Linfield seven victories. As for goals, seven matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), three games had two or less.
Top Goalscorers
  P. Lowry 13 goals |  E. Vertainen 12 goals | P. Heatley 6 goals |
Crusaders missing players
Linfield missing players
| Crusaders | Linfield | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 24 | 12 | 2 | Played | P | 1 | 12 | 24 |
| 14 | 10 | 1 | Won | W | 0 | 8 | 15 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | Drew | D | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | Lost | L | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 49 | 33 | 4 | Scored | S | 0 | 25 | 47 |
| 29 | 10 | 1 | Conceded | C | 1 | 8 | 19 |
| 88% | 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 92% | 83% |
| 83% | 92% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 0% | 75% | 71% |
| 71% | 83% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 58% | 62% |
| 42% | 50% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 25% | 33% |
| 25% | 25% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 8% | 12% |
| 54% | 58% | 50% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 42% | 38% |
| 38% | 33% | 50% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 50% | 54% |
| 21% | 8% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 100% | 17% | 25% |
| 5.2 | 6 | 4.5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 6 | 6.9 | 6.4 |
| 4 | 3.7 | 5.5 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 2 | 4.3 | 3.7 |
| 1.9 | 1.2 | 2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 11 | 11.8 | 7 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 2 | 9.7 | 10.3 |
| 5 | 6.1 | 3 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 1 | 4.8 | 5.4 |
| 40% | 45% | 67% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 0% | 43% | 36% |
| 6.3 | 5.4 | 6.5 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 6 | 6.7 | 7.5 |
| 3.2 | 2.3 | 3 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 3 | 3 | 3.1 |
- Crusaders have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Crusaders have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
- Crusaders have the most points (31) at home in Premiership
- Crusaders have the most scored goals (33) at home in Premiership
- Crusaders have the most scored goals (49) in Premiership
- Crusaders have the the best goal difference (+23) at home in Premiership
- Crusaders haven’t played a single 0-0 game at home.
- Linfield have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded.
- Linfield have the fewest conceded goals (8) away in Premiership
- Linfield have the most scored goals (25) away in Premiership
- Linfield have the most scored goals in the second half (29) in Premiership
- Linfield have the the best goal difference (+17) away in Premiership
- Linfield have the the best goal difference (+28) 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 | Cliftonville | 24 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 43 | 31 | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 26 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 21 | 12 | 50 |
| 2 | Linfield | 24 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 47 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 8 | 28 | 49 |
| 3 | Larne | 23 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 40 | 15 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 21 | 4 | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 11 | 25 | 49 |
| 4 | Crusaders | 24 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 49 | 29 | 12 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 46 |
| 5 | Coleraine | 24 | 13 | 5 | 6 | 42 | 21 | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 23 | 11 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 10 | 21 | 44 |
| 6 | Glentoran | 21 | 12 | 2 | 7 | 36 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 20 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 9 | 21 | 38 |
| 7 | Ballymena United | 22 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 28 | 32 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 18 | 13 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 19 | -4 | 29 |
| 8 | Glenavon | 22 | 7 | 5 | 10 | 39 | 42 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 25 | 25 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 17 | -3 | 26 |
| 9 | Carrick Rangers | 22 | 7 | 3 | 12 | 30 | 45 | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 19 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 10 | 26 | -15 | 24 |
| 10 | Newry City AFC | 23 | 6 | 0 | 17 | 25 | 47 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 18 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 29 | -22 | 18 |
| 11 | Dungannon Swifts | 24 | 5 | 2 | 17 | 17 | 51 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 5 | 35 | -34 | 17 |
| 12 | Portadown | 23 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 8 | 57 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 22 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 4 | 35 | -49 | 5 |
