Glenavon boss Michael O'Connor aware of high-stakes showdown at Crusaders but final result won't be season-defining in bid to avoid relegation

The bottom two clubs meet in a massive fixture at Seaview on Saturday afternoon as both teams aim to help ease their relegation fears.

Glenavon know a win will see them climb off the foot of the table, whilst Crusaders could go six points clear of the Lurgan Blues if they can make the most of home comforts.

"It is definitely our biggest game of the season and you can't address it any other way," O'Connor conceded.

"We know a win will put us above Crusaders on goal difference, whereas they'll want to be successful and create that six-point gap, so it's a huge game.

"We are just concentrating on ourselves and we know that a victory would give us some momentum heading into the split.

"We have played well in our last two away games at Bangor (a 3-1 win) and Ballymena (1-1 draw), so we have been pleased to pick up points on the road.

"Apart from the recent fixtures against Carrick Rangers and Linfield, I feel we have played well and a tweak in formation has certainly helped us, especially with the likes of Conor Falls and Nathaniel Ferris in attack."

Crusaders were in action during the week and suffered late heartache as Joe Gormley's stoppage-time finish gave Cliftonville all three points in the north Belfast derby.

When O'Connor was announced as Glenavon's new manager in October last year, the Lurgan Blues were a remarkable 10 points behind the Crues and having played two games more.

When asked if he always retained a belief that Glenavon could mount a stirring fightback in their bid to avoid the drop, O'Connor replied: "When I arrived, I held a meeting with the staff and players and we targeted being only four points behind going into the league split.

"So, if I was offered the position we are now in back then, I'd have certainly snapped your hand off.

"However, no matter the outcome on Saturday, I don't think the result will determine the rest of the season as there's so much football still to be played.

"We know Crusaders are a really dangerous side and they play open football. You only have to look at the amount of goals that are in their games to tell you that.

"We have been working hard in training to play to our strengths and counteract their dangers."

Finishing bottom of the Premiership table results in automatic relegation, with the team finishing in 11th then facing a promotion/relegation play-off against the second-placed team in the Championship.

So, does O'Connor have eyes on going on a prolonged run and perhaps even finishing higher than 11th and preserving their Premiership status for good?

He answered: "We just want to keep picking up results.

"The main target is to catch Crusaders and we will take it from there.

"We know we are eight points behind Ballymena United and we have to play them...but our focus is solely on Saturday."