This could be an interesting match as Glentoran have their presumed home advantage while Crusaders are ahead 4 points in the Premiership table.
Both teams should be fairly well rested for this game, as they have had some quiet days to prepare. Hopefully this will translate into lots of action on the pitch.
These teams are so close in distance that this match is special, a derby with local pride the main prize.
Glentoran form and stats
19 points is a decent return from 8 Premiership games here at The Oval for Glentoran. The data says 6 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss. Glentoran are on a three game winning streak in their home games.
Glentoran drew their last game, 2-2 away at Coleraine (placed 2nd). In the preceding match a 2-0 victory visiting Cliftonville.
A case of two points dropped for Glentoran in the Coleraine match as a lead 2-0 was lost and what looked like a victory ended in a draw.
Goals are plentiful at The Oval in the league this season as Glentoran has scored 22 goals here in 8 home games. 8 goals have been conceded.
Crusaders form and stats
The away team, who have the most scored goals (45) in Premiership, have been very comfortable on their travels so far, racking up 5 wins, 3 draws and only 1 loss in the Premiership. Crusaders have won three away matches in a row now and will not be intimidated by being the visitors in this fixture.
The manager S. Baxter was unhappy after their last game, a Premiership match played at their home ground Seaview. Crusaders suffered a 0-1 loss to Ballymena United (placed 8th). A home win before that, celebrating 2-0 vs Institute.
Today's guests are confident travelers having scored 23 goals in 9 league games away this season. Crusaders have conceded 9 goals in these away matches.
Head 2 Head
The last H2H meeting was Crusaders - Glentoran 5-2, played this season. H2H stats regardless of arena (last ten matches): Glentoran 0 wins, 2 draws and Crusaders 8 victories. As for goals, 8 matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), 2 games had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  R. McDaid 11 goals |  H. Plum 9 goals |  P. O'Neill 8 goals |
Glentoran missing players
Crusaders missing players
| Glentoran | Crusaders | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 18 | 8 | 2 | Played | P | 3 | 9 | 19 |
| 10 | 6 | 0 | Won | W | 1 | 5 | 11 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | Drew | D | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | Lost | L | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 40 | 22 | 2 | Scored | S | 4 | 23 | 45 |
| 24 | 8 | 3 | Conceded | C | 2 | 9 | 19 |
| 100% | 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 67% | 89% | 95% |
| 89% | 88% | 50% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 67% | 78% | 79% |
| 72% | 88% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 33% | 56% | 58% |
| 56% | 62% | 50% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 33% | 56% | 47% |
| 17% | 12% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 33% | 26% |
| 72% | 75% | 50% | BTTS | BTTS | 67% | 56% | 47% |
| 17% | 12% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 33% | 44% | 42% |
| 11% | 12% | 50% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 11% | 16% |
| 5.7 | 6.2 | 7 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 5.3 | 5.4 | 4.6 |
| 4.6 | 3.8 | 4.5 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 1 | 1.6 | 2.8 |
| 1.7 | 1.1 | 1 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 1 | 1.4 | 1.8 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | Red Cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 254 | 131 | 31 | Total Shots | T S | 33 | 84 | 207 |
| 110 | 56 | 11 | Shots on Target | S O | 10 | 38 | 93 |
| 35% | 39% | 18% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 40% | 39% | 35% |
- Crusaders has the most scored goals (23) away
- Crusaders has the most scored goals (45)
- Crusaders has the most scored goals in the second half (30)
- Crusaders has the the best goal difference (+14) away
- Crusaders have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded.
- Crusaders have won at least twice as many corners as they have conceded away.
- Glentoran has the most points from losing position (16)
- Glentoran have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
- Glentoran have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
- Glentoran haven’t played a single 0-0 game.
| 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 | 17 | 13 | 0 | 4 | 39 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 13 | 5 | 28 | 39 |
| 2 | Coleraine | 19 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 43 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 11 | 25 | 39 |
| 3 | Crusaders | 19 | 11 | 5 | 3 | 45 | 19 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 23 | 9 | 26 | 38 |
| 4 | Cliftonville | 19 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 34 | 13 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 7 | 21 | 38 |
| 5 | Glentoran | 18 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 40 | 24 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 34 |
| 6 | Larne | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 34 | 18 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 9 | 16 | 27 |
| 7 | Carrick Rangers | 18 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 25 | 30 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 14 | -5 | 21 |
| 8 | Ballymena United | 19 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 29 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 16 | -4 | 20 |
| 9 | Glenavon | 17 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 23 | 46 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 32 | -23 | 17 |
| 10 | Dungannon Swifts | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 21 | 49 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 23 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 26 | -28 | 17 |
| 11 | Institute | 19 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 15 | 41 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 18 | -26 | 12 |
| 12 | Warrenpoint Town | 19 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 14 | 60 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 | 24 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 36 | -46 | 9 |