CLIFTONVILLE begin what could be a decisive month of top of the table clashes when they make the trip to Windsor Park to take on Champions Linfield on Saturday afternoon (3pm kick-off).

The Reds registered their first league win over the Blues in two years in last month’s clash at Solitude, but they are without a league win over David Healy’s side at Windsor Park since a 2-1 victory in April 2018.

As it stands, The Reds lead the way at the top of the table, three points clear of Larne who have a game in hand, with third-place Linfield - who will have Kyle Lafferty available following his signing this week - heading into Saturday’s game four adrift of the league leaders with an equal number of games played.

The race for the title continues to be a close-run thing with Glentoran in sixth place far from adrift as they have three games in hand.

Every point is vital for all contenders and Cliftonville boss Paddy McLaughlin acknowledges Saturday’s trip across town will be difficult, but they will head with confidence having enjoyed a decent spell and a morale-boosting shootout win over Coleraine in the Irish Cup last week.

“It’s a big game surely and really tough,” he acknowledged.

“Like most, everybody looks to Linfield as our biggest challenge and especially away from home. It will be really difficult, but on the back of our form at the minute; we’re on a good run of form and the boys have been excellent - individually and collectively.

“We’re going into it full of confidence and we’re going into the game knowing that we could hopefully put a bit of distance between us and Linfield. Even though it is only February, it would be nice to have that bit of breathing space, because we know that Linfield are going to come strong in the run in and they’re going to come strong in the second half of the season.

“It’s a big game for us but one to look forward to. Hopefully the fans are out in force and help to play their part like they always do because it’s a really difficult venue at Windsor Park.

“Going there against the champions is going to be a big ask for us, but we’re ready for it.”

David Healy’s come into the clash off the back of an Irish Cup exit on penalties to Larne at Inver Park.

However, the Blues responded to recent league setbacks at Solitude and Seaview with 6-1 victories over Glenavon and Portadown and McLaughlin believes that is a sign of champions.

“Whenever they fall to defeat or have any kind of setbacks, they respond to it and that’s why they are where they are at,” he insists.

“It’s important that we try to put that recovery back another week. It’s going to be difficult but we’re going into the game full of confidence and almost a fully fit squad now. Rory  (Hale) will probably miss out, but the rest of the boys will be raring to go come Saturday."

Sandwiched between the weekend visit to Windsor and a trip to second place Larne next weekend, the Reds entertain Portadown on Valentine’s Day and then host Glentoran at the end of the month with a North Belfast derby at Seaview to come in March.

Although McLaughlin admits it is a tough run of fixtures, he has called on the players to step up to the mark like goalkeeper Nathan Gartside did at the weekend in their Irish Cup shoot-out win against Coleraine.

“We’ve almost got a split before the split because play the top-four and the four full-time teams in our next-four,” he said.

“We’ve Portadown in there as well. We play them and then play them all again after the split.

“It’s a massive finish to the season for us. It’s a big ask and big tasks, but big games require big names to step forward and Gartside did that (against Coleraine) with the boys that scored the penalties.

“We’ll need that every week on week now from here until the end of the season.

“The boys will look forward to it and take the challenge on and I’m sure they’ll give it everything they have. If they keep doing what they’re doing at the minute, you never know where it could take us.”

McLaughlin expects midfielder Rory Hale to miss the weekend’s visit to Windsor Park after departing at half-time against Coleraine, but hopes the injury isn’t too serious to keep him out for longer.

“He took a heavy bang,” McLaughlin revealed.

“It was accidental, a coming together and a collision of two players going for the same ball - it happens.

“He’s taken a heavy bang and his quad seems to have flared up on it. It looks like a nasty enough injury at the minute. Hopefully nothing to bad, but time will tell. Hopefully Rory will be back soon enough.”