Football: Can Cliftonville maintain Premiership top spot?

There's a full programme of Premiership fixtures this evening

Cliftonville's Ronan Hale celebrate scoring against Coleraine on Saturday
Author: Gareth McCulloughPublished 24th Jan 2023

It's set to be another pivotal night in the Danske Bank Premiership title race this evening with every club in action.

Current table-toppers Cliftonville, who lead the way by just a single point from Linfield and Larne, go to Glenavon. Paddy McLaughlin's side could have been a further four points clear at the summit had they not lost two-goals leads against Carrick Rangers and Coleraine in their last two games.

Linfield will be hoping Eetu Vertainen can keep up his good recent run of goalscoring form when they make the shirt trip across Belfast to face Crusaders at Seaview.

The big Finnish striker has hit 8 in his last 7 league matches as the Blues recovered from a poor start to the season to sit right on Cliftonville's heels.

Linfield striker Eetu Vertainen is in goalscoring form at the min.

Meanwhile, Larne have a game in hand on the Reds and they host bottom side Portadown at Inver Park.

Tiernan Lynch's side were held to a scoreless draw at home to Crusaders at the weekend, so will be aiming to take maximum points from Niall Currie's visitors, who are 12 points adrift of second bottom Dungannon Swifts.

The Swifts head to The Oval for a meeting with Glentoran, who won their first game under new manager Rodney McAree at Newry on Saturday, thanks mainly to a Jay Donnelly double. Niall McGinn scored the opener in a 3-1 win as he and McAree welcome their former club to their new one tonight.

Elsewhere, Coleraine will hope to keep themselves in the hunt for the title with Carrick Rangers coming to Ballycastle Road.

Newry City hope to arrest a poor run of form that stretched back to their last win on the pitch in late November, when they go to Ballymena United tonight.

FIXTURES

Tuesday January 24th (7.45pm)

Ballymena United v Newry City AFC

Coleraine v Carrick Rangers

Crusaders v Linfield

Glenavon v Cliftonville

Glentoran v Dungannon Swifts

Larne v Portadown