David Healy looking for major Linfield reaction in BetMcLean League Cup quarter-final clash with Larne

The two competition favourites will meet in the quarter-final stage at Inver Park with both coming off disappointing weekend league results as Linfield were beaten 4-0 by the Glens while Larne couldn’t find a way past struggling Ballymena United in their Showgrounds stalemate.

Larne have won their first three meetings of this season against the Blues, including a 2-1 Premiership triumph last month thanks to goals from Mark Randall and an in-form Joe Thomson, and last suffered defeat at home on November 25, 2022 when Coleraine ran out 2-0 victors.

In fact, Tiernan Lynch’s men are unbeaten in seven fixtures across competitions versus Linfield this calendar year and Healy knows there will be even more outside attention on this meeting after Friday’s defeat.

"The players understand that it's an opportunity to get into a semi-final of a competition we've been successful in,” he told LinfieldTV. “We know coming off the back of this that there will be more eyes on us, our performance and we'll need to certainly play better.

"We need to not make the mistakes we made against Glentoran and play with a bit more pride. I know the supporters have backed us through thick and thin and there was a sense of frustration – and rightly so.

"If I had paid money I would have been hugely frustrated. I'm embarrassed that I have to stand here and talk about that result and performance."

Despite that shock result, Linfield remain top of the Premiership table – one point ahead of Larne, who have played one more match – while Healy chases a third League Cup crown and a 12th tournament honour since taking over at Windsor Park in October 2015.

He has called for the supporters to continue backing the team ahead of a busy festive schedule, which includes another bumper Boxing Day showdown at home against Glentoran.

"Keep supporting me as the manager and the players,” he added. “We do try and do everything right throughout the week in preparation and more than often over the years our performances have been good - we were miles short against Glentoran.

"We've had huge backing with our home support. Normally it's the away supporters that travel in huge numbers, but the home crowd at Windsor has picked up over the last number of months.

“We want to continue that and certainly when we play Glentoran again on Boxing Day with a big crowd and a big point to prove.”