David Healy insists 'there's no hiding' place for Linfield as they look to bounce back against 'probably the most in-form team in the country' in Cliftonville

The Windsor Park outfit’s winless league run extended to three games as Matthew Shevlin, Jamie McGonigle and Conor McKendry netted on a memorable evening for the Bannsiders, meaning Linfield have now dropped into third ahead of the clash at Solitude after the Reds defeated Glenavon 4-2 on Saturday and leaders Larne beat struggling Ballymena United 1-0.

Victory would send Jim Magilton’s men top on goal difference and open up a four-point gap on the 56-time league champions, but if the visitors can register a third consecutive triumph at the North Belfast venue, they’ll be one behind the Inver Reds and right back on track.

"You have to keep going,” said Healy. "There's no better place to try and showcase that than on Tuesday night.

"It's going to be a big ask, Cliftonville are going well but we've spoken to the players in there about we need big strong characters.

"There's probably no tougher place to go - maybe bar Inver Park - as they have terrific home form and they're probably the most in-form team in the country at the minute.

"As tough as it looks, you could have a home game against a bottom-six team with the expectation there which could make us edgy and anxious.

"We know on Tuesday night that there's going to be no hiding place...on paper it's the toughest of games.

"For us and what we've tried to do in previous games and runs when you're up against it, is to respond and react in a big manner. There's no better place to try and do that than Tuesday.”

Linfield have collected more away points (32) than any other team this season while no side has scored more (40) or conceded fewer (nine) on home turf than Cliftonville.

With nine games left to play, Healy says they need to fight in order to maintain their title challenge.

"We have players in the dressing room who are hurting, I’m hurting...it’s been a disappointing night,” he added on the club’s media channel. “More often than not if your back is against the wall you have to come out fighting.

"It’s important that we find as a group collectively, myself as manager, the staff, players and everybody united together and we come and put in a fighting performance against Cliftonville.”