Hi °C | Lo °C There's nothing like a north-Belfast derby on Boxing Day to keep feet firmly planted on the ground.
Crusaders are on cloud nine after stunning fans by clinching the Christmas number one spot but manager Stephen Baxter knows his players could easily crash to the ground with a thud at Seaview.
The Reds, who have two games in hand over their neighbours, trail the Shore Road side by six points and a victory on Saturday would place them firmly in the middle of a title race.
Crusaders and Cliftonville are both threatening to end the Big Two stranglehold on the Gibson Cup as Linfield and Glentoran continue to find the going tough in the Carling Premiership.
Their cross-city rivals will be looking to ruthlessly exploit every stumble the Glens and Blues make and Crusaders, with Mickey Collins set to feature for the first team in a few days, will be aiming to push for their first title success since 1997.
A stunning strike from Gareth McKeown secured a 1-1 draw for the Crues in last year’s Boxing Day scrap but on their new 4G artificial surface, Baxter’s boys will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership.
The Glens and Blues will have greater financial resources to strengthen their squads in January but Baxter believes he has the tools to keep the heat on the big guns.
“We will keep battling away and every side has to because of how tough this league is,” he said.
“It’s important to keep the winning pattern going but Cliftonville is going to be a bumper game — they are the form team, with five wins out of six or something similar. A top, top team we know that can be very dangerous.
“Taking them on on our home patch will be a great occasion.
“I know that Linfield and Glentoran dropped points at the weekend but I’m more interested in how we are playing rather than what other teams are doing.
“We have so many things to worry about at our end with regard to how we play and combat other team’s tactics. They have tough games coming up as well and we all have to work exceptionally hard.
“I’m just happy that we are in there fighting on the back of securing three points out of a possible 18 and this is proving to be another great league race.
“Our football against Lisburn Distillery was some of the best we have played this season.”
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Former Crusaders player Roddy Collins has been appointed as first team manager of League of Ireland outfit Cork City for the forthcoming season.
The former Shamrock Rovers and Bohemians manager was working in Malta with Floriana but he left the club earlier this month, citing personal reasons.
