While most teams have struggled for consistency this term, David Healy’s Blues have been the clear outlier – they’ve put together a current unbeaten run of 11 matches, collected the most points both home and away, scored most goals (53) and registered a league-high 13 clean sheets.
The South Belfast outfit have lost only four of 28 league games to date and are on course to win a first Premiership crown since 2022.
Using SoccerStats’ projected points algorithm, which takes into account the current points per game (PPG) achieved by each team, that achieved by the opposition they’ve still to face and the amount of matches remaining prior to the split, we can see where they expect each side to be sitting going into the split.
Here is the full league table according to their projected points for each team, which gives an interesting perspective on how things could unfold at both ends of the Premiership.
5. Dungannon Swifts - Projected pre-split points: 48
Another team enjoying a superb season, SoccerStats projects that Dungannon Swifts will be celebrating a first top-six finish since 2010. Predicted to finish on 48 points (well, 47.84), Dungannon face a tricky pre-split schedule with trips to Larne, Cliftonville and Portadown combined with home clashes against Carrick Rangers, Ballymena United and Linfield. They'll hope to make the most of the home encounters having been so impressive at Stangmore Park up to this point. Photo: INPHO/Presseye/Declan Roughan
6. Cliftonville - Projected pre-split points: 48
A third team expected to be sitting on 48 (47.71) points heading into the split, SoccerStats believes Cliftonville have the most favourable run-in of their nearest challengers with upcoming opposition averaging 1.18 PPG this season - five of their next seven league matches come against teams sitting inside the bottom-half. The Reds are still battling for both BetMcLean Cup and Irish Cup honours alongside targeting a spot in Europe once again. Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press
7. Crusaders - Projected pre-split points: 47
Crusaders have bounced back superbly from a heavy 5-1 defeat to Dungannon Swifts, winning three of their next four league matches alongside progressing to the Irish Cup quarter-finals. Their biggest tests of the pre-split schedule come at home to Linfield and away against Glentoran, but they'll look to target maximum points in games against Ballymena United and Loughgall at Seaview alongside a trip to Glenavon. Projected to collect another seven points, they'll want to out-perform the prediction and break into the top-half, but seventh is still good enough for the European play-off. Photo: Inpho/Stephen Hamilton
8. Coleraine - Projected pre-split points: 44
Undoubtedly still top-half contenders, Coleraine will hope their January arrivals can give them a major boost. According to SoccerStats, the Bannsiders have one of the more testing pre-split schedules, facing Glentoran, Linfield, Larne and Portadown - the projected top-four - across their next five matches while a trip to Glenavon has also proven tricky in recent times. It's a big month for Dean Shiels' side and they'll hope to pick up more than the predicted nine points from a potential 21 pre-split. Photo: Desmond Loughery/Pacemaker Press