Linfield boss David Healy admits it will be impossible to enjoy the remaining four games in an intriguing Danske Bank Premiership title race – but he intends to embrace the challenge.
The reigning champions approach tonight’s showdown with Glentoran at Windsor Park one point ahead of Cliftonville at the top of the table.
Defeat for Mick McDermott’s team would end any flickering hopes of them picking up the Gibson Cup for the first time since 2009.
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They approach the Big Two confrontation six points adrift of their cross-town rivals and five behind the Reds who face Larne on Saturday afternoon.
Healy, going for his fourth successive title success – and fifth overall since joining the Blues – insists his boys’ past experiences will stand them on good stead.
“Will I enjoy the last four games? No. But I’ll embrace them,” said the former Northern Ireland international striker. “You are always fearful of a mistake; a decision going against you or someone scoring a wonder goal.
“The last thing we want to be doing, especially the way the league is so tight at the minute, is falling behind someone (in the table).
“It would then be out of our hands and you don’t know whether you can recover that. At the minute, it’s still in our hands, which is a positive. The boys have been here before.
“Once it goes out of your hands, then you are relying on others. We are in it with two other good teams and we are still fighting for the big prize.
“It’s a credit to the players and staff that we are in the position we are in, but there is still a long way to go, we have another four tough, tough games coming up.
“Given everything that has gone on this season and the challenges we have faced, the players deserve an enormous amount of credit.”
Although Glentoran were on the end of a thumping 4-0 home defeat by Crusaders last weekend, Healy believes the East Belfast team are still in the title equation.
“That defeat wasn’t the end of the road for Glentoran,” he insisted. “They are still in the mix. This a derby game and they are always spicy, it’s one we will relish as a club.
“We’ve got Glentoran and Cliftonville face Larne on Saturday and they are another two massive games. Every team is playing for something in this league, which means they are all cup finals.
“No team has got to the stage they have their flip-flops on and are ready for the beach, it’s going to be really competitive over the next few weeks.
“It could be cat and mouse until the end of the season, the pressure is on every team.
“Last year, in the first game of the split, we went to the Oval and drew 0-0. We were really solid and difficult to beat that day. We did the same at Solitude last week, so hopefully, we can build on that.”
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