How can I watch Coleraine vs Crusaders? All you need to know ahead of the crunch Irish League clash
Coleraine welcome Crusaders to the Showgrounds on Sunday afternoon as both teams look to take strides up the Irish League Premiership table.
The Bannsiders have shown glimpses of promise in the early stages of their transition to full-time football while the Crues continue to adapt to life under new manager Declan Caddell after he replaced Stephen Baxter during the summer.
From how to watch the match to the form of both teams and more, here’s everything you need to know ahead of kick-off.
HOW CAN I WATCH?
Coleraine vs Crusaders is being broadcast live by Sky Sports on their Sky Sports Football channel, so you’ll need an active subscription to watch this match. Kick-off is at 12:30pm.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS?
The hosts are priced at 21/20 to secure another home victory while Crusaders are available at 2/1 to cause what the bookmakers would deem an upset. The draw is 23/10.
WHAT SORT OF FORM ARE BOTH TEAMS IN?
Coleraine have been in fine form on home turf – only Dungannon Swifts (19) and Cliftonville (17) have collected more points at home this season than Dean Shiels’ side (16), who have won five and drawn one of their opening eight matches at the Showgrounds.
They’ve won four of their last six Premiership games – 2-1 defeats on the road against both defending champions Larne and Cliftonville the blemishes – and they’ve also been free-scoring so far this campaign too with Linfield (33) the sole side to score more goals (28), and they could climb as high as fourth with victory.
On the other hand, Crusaders have been one of the best defensive teams in the Premiership, especially away from Seaview, conceding just six times in seven matches on the road.
Three of those came in last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Carrick Rangers and a win over Coleraine would allow them to leapfrog their opponents into seventh in a very competitive Premiership.
The pair have already met twice this season – once in the league and once in the BetMcLean Cup – with Crusaders winning both matches 2-1 and the North Belfast outfit are unbeaten in their last five against Sunday’s opponents.
ANY STATS OF NOTE?
Coleraine striker Matthew Shevlin sat top of the Premiership goalscoring charts, striking 12 times so far this term, before Cliftonville ace Joe Gormley scored a hat-trick against Loughgall on Saturday, bringing his tally to 13, so the Bannsiders ace will be looking to reclaim his throne.
According to Irish League Stats Man, Shevlin has netted his most league goals for Coleraine in the month of October (12) - he has 33 league goals in August, September, and October but only 6 in November and December.
Meanwhile, Crusaders’ Kieran Offord, Ballymena United’s Ben Kennedy and Linfield’s Joel Cooper have all scored 4 match-winning goals in the league this season.
WHAT HAVE THEY SAID?
Coleraine head coach Dean Shiels: "I do think we are building momentum. There has been a shift in performance and mentality, which has contributed to. shift in results.
"Everyone sees the results, but there has been a lot of good work at the start of the season in terms of the foundations we built. We have definitely been improving as a group, and I think when you get the results then people start believing you.
"Sometimes when you play well but lose, and you say we're moving in the right direction, people don't believe you. They only see the outcome.
"Thankfully we have some momentum with the wins, and we have to use that to kick on now."