Linfield boss David Healy has no time for any pity party following Saturday’s loss to defending champions Larne – with a visit tonight to joint league leaders Cliftonville offering a chance for rapid recovery.

Healy’s Blues and Cliftonville share top spot in the Sports Direct Premiership standings heading into the midweek Solitude clash.

It will offer both sides an opportunity to cement control of the early standings – with the Reds playing host to Linfield under Jim Magilton off a 5-1 victory over Loughgall but Healy’s men left to bounce back from defeat by Larne.

Having steered Linfield to five league titles, Healy will remain relaxed over the long-term significance of a September defeat just six games into the season.

placeholder image — Linfield manager David Healy. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

However, the loss to Larne did lead to Healy highlighting the importance of maximising moments and the value of character within the dressing room.

"Six, seven, eight games in you don't win league titles...you jockey for position and get yourself in or around the top,” said Healy after Saturday. "I hope they (the players) do feel a little bit sorry for themselves today because I do.

"Personally it hits you a defeat like that because again if they'd carved us open sometimes you hold your hands up and say 'they were better' but I don't think that was the case,

"One thing that I can't do as manager of this football club is feel sorry for myself or feel sorry for the players.

"Because that'll end basically in the road to nowhere, if that's going to be the case.

"Something that we spoke about is two years ago, three years ago, seven years ago we had strong characters in and around the dressing room.

"So these players can't feel sorry for themselves because we need to build a resilience, build the characters so when we are ready to be successful that we find a way to win on that day.

"It's building that...we're just a wee bit short of that at the minute.

"But the characters in and around the dressing room are key and it's important if you are going to be successful you have good strong reliable characters in the dressing room."

A midweek meeting at Cliftonville is one Healy wants Linfield to relish.

“Solitude away at any stage is a tough venue,” he said. "I've no doubt Tuesday night will bring a lot of hype to the game.

"They've started the season well again this year so we expect another tough game at a tough venue.

"Am I surprised (by Cliftonville’s start)? Absolutely not.

"Last year they were under the radar for the majority of the season.

"They finished third and won the Irish Cup.

"Jim's done a good job and when you play Cliftonville they're going to have done their homework.

"So we need to make sure we're going to be a little bit more resilient than we were today (against Larne)."

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES (tonight, 7.45pm): Carrick Rangers v Ballymena United, Cliftonville v Linfield, Dungannon Swifts v Crusaders, Glenavon v Larne, Glentoran v Loughgall, Portadown v Coleraine.