Linfield manager David Healy says outside opinions mean “absolutely nothing” to him after coming in for criticism at times during their historic Irish League triumph.

The Blues now sit 22 points clear at the Premiership’s summit after beating Dungannon Swifts 3-0 on Monday evening and got their title party celebrations underway at Stangmore Park having became the first-ever team to seal Gibson Cup glory before the split.

Healy’s men have won the top-flight’s most matches, scored the most goals, conceded the fewest, kept the most clean sheets, collected most points both home and away and boast the largest goal difference by some distance, and while feeling they mightn’t have got the credit that such an achievement deserves, the Northern Ireland legend isn’t bothered.

"I've read and heard a lot of people's opinions which means absolutely nothing to me,” he said. "I can't imagine Arne Slot at Liverpool is sat at night worrying about Manchester City's hugely disappointing season after winning four league titles, he won't be sitting at home thinking 'Manchester City weren't as good this year' or Tottenham and Manchester United have dropped off or Arsenal aren't as good.

placeholder image — Linfield celebrate their Premiership success after beating Dungannon Swifts. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

"He's worrying about what he can affect and the controllables.

"We control what we can do and we've done better than anyone else this year.

"Football is entirely about opinions, it doesn't mean it's the truth, sometimes people's opinions matter and sometimes they don't.

"People have talked about the improvements at all the other clubs, then we're 20 points clear and they say 'it's not really a good league'.

"We've conceded an incredibly low amount of goals, have scored more than anybody, won more away games, more home games, have the best goal difference - we can't be that bad of a side.

"I can't even remember how long ago it was since we shot to the top of the table, it's probably going back to September or October and we've continued that.

"Teams were in and around coming to get us, we lost one or two along the way and there have been one or two disappointments, but the one thing the players have always done this year is responded in a positive manner.

"That sets you up in the manner where you can go and continually be ultra consistent and that's what we have been this year."