Linfield players have shown 'a togetherness and hunger' by claiming five Premiership victories in a row, says David Healy

The two teams certainly go into the meeting in contrasting form as Portadown remain without a point after losing all six games to date, whilst Linfield have won five on the bounce.

Many will see the Blues as huge favourites to put more misery on the Ports but Healy remarked how his side can ill-afford to take anything for granted.

He told Linfield’s media channel after the 1-0 success at Dungannon last Saturday: "It's a tough venue.

"You're sort of hoping that they have already picked up a point or points before you go down there because you don't want to be that first team.

"We know the challenge...we lost down there last year and we've lost down there before.

"If we're not on it against a David Jeffrey team...if you're not bang it or up for the challenge and you're a little bit light-hearted in your tackles and you're a little loose in possession, then Portadown are the type of team if you allow them to who can get on top of you.”

Healy and his players came in for heavy criticism after being knocked out of Europe at the first hurdle and then losing to Ballymena United on the opening day of the season.

However, he cited “togetherness and hunger” for overcoming those early struggles as they’ve won five Premiership games in a row.

"They want a little bit of steel in the team...that just doesn't happen in one or two games,” he added.

"You have to build into that, you have to build into the season and you have to build in the confidence.

"We were done in the first game with the result that we got but the players have shown a level of togetherness and hunger.

"Linfield fans want to see a little bit of fight and I think they got that in spades against Dungannon.

"There's absolutely no qualms about the fight and hunger in the dressing room, even after the first disappointing loss.

"The players are hungry for more, we want to continue and we know the difficult challenges we have.”

Linfield’s victory at Stangmore Park was achieved without talisman Matthew Fitzpatrick being involved in the matchday squad.

The striker’s omission left many by surprise and Healy explained why he is reluctant to always disclose the fitness of certain players in the build-up to games.

He continued: "We are lighter in numbers which everyone knows...and I know supporters want to know about injuries and who is back when.

"Darragh (Leahy) has got a serious injury and he's not going to be back any time soon.

"Jamie Mulgrew is making progress...how long that's going to be, we don't really know.

"Ryan Nolan's going to be back in and around pretty soon, Fitzy (Matthew Fizpatrick) as well, so that's the update everyone wanted.

"We're not the Secret Service, we do like to keep things in-house, we do like to keep things in check to keep David Jeffrey and their staff guessing at times.

"We don't want to make it common knowledge that someone is going to play.”