Tomas Cosgrove hails impact of summer signings as Larne prepare for crunch Premiership clash with Linfield

Tiernan Lynch’s side remain unbeaten through six league matches (three wins, three draws) at the start of their title defence amidst an injury crisis which has forced several stars to play out of position in the early stages of this campaign.

They have also been integrating 11 new faces into their squad after a busy transfer window with the likes of former Celtic midfielder Scott Allan, Levi Ives, Craig Farquhar, Real Salt Lake youngster Jaziel Orozco and Wigan Athletic defender Kieran Lloyd all arriving at the club.

It has been about evolution for Larne as they look to hit new heights once again following their historic Premiership triumph and Cosgrove feels the new additions can help drive standards to another level.

"We've brought in a lot of boys and it has been difficult for them,” he said. “They are only coming in and they are thrown into the deep end with a few injuries and suspensions.

"They've done really well for themselves and I'm sure they've got to see the dirty side of the Irish League and what it takes to win a league title.

"I read a quote from Pep Guardiola where he was saying that when you're on top you have to recruit because you need to strengthen.

"Squads get stale and you need to keep bringing in new people with fresh ideas and get boys challenging for places. It makes boys play better."

Linfield have also started the league season with an impressive unbeaten run as they look to reclaim the crown they’d won four times in a row before Larne displaced them at the top.

The two sides met in the County Antrim Shield earlier this month with Larne running out 1-0 victors thanks to Joe Thomson’s second-half strike but both will likely make numerous changes for the league encounter.

"When you play football you want to play in the big occasions,” added Cosgrove. “This is one of the biggest games in the country.

"You enjoy the occasion and the fans will come out in their numbers on a Friday night.

"This will be a big test – if anyone finishes above Linfield they more or less win the league.

"Linfield always do well and if you look at the top-six, every one of them are strong.

"I said it last season and the season before but the league just seems to keep getting better and better.

"The more the standard goes up, the more people keep pressing and want to do better."

Lynch’s men haven’t suffered a league defeat since Coleraine won 2-0 at Inver Park in November – a run of 13 matches where they’ve only conceded six times, four of which came in a dramatic draw against Dungannon Swifts at the start of this season.

Cosgrove isn’t paying much attention to those records and says Larne will need to maintain their typical high standards if they want to get a positive result.

"We don't take things like that into consideration,” he said. “Maybe the management team will know about it but as players you're just focused on the next game.

"I know it's boring but you're just ready for the next team and thinking about who you're coming up against.

"Form goes out the window in matches like this.

"We may be unbeaten at home in 10 months but if we go out and have a bad game then we're going to get beaten. It doesn't really come into effect for us."