Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins believes Saturday’s opponents Cliftonville are a better team than their league position suggests.
The Reds go into the game against the league leaders in eighth place following an inconsistent first quarter of the campaign.
However, they are unbeaten in their last three games, having not conceded a goal, and show signs that they are getting back to the form which made them perennial challengers not so long ago.
However, taking on a confident Coleraine, who have lost just once on their travels – at Bangor – is a significant challenge.
The Bannsiders, like this weekend’s opponents, were inactive last weekend because of the international break, so both will be keen to get their season back on track.
“Cliftonville are, in my opinion, still one of the best teams in the league,” said Higgins in his weekly press conference.
They’re really well coached with a lot of good players so we’re expecting to come up against a good team.
“I think they will, as the season progresses, climb the table, I have no doubt about that: they’ve too many good players not to.
“I rate Jim (Magilton) highly – I think he’s done an absolutely brilliant job. They’ve had a lot of success in the cups, particularly over the past few years.
“Solitude’s a difficult place to go to as well so we’ll have to be at our very best to win the game,” he added.
“I think I’ve openly said it and I believe we’ll get better. We’re better now than the first time we went to Solitude in the second game of the season.
“I think that’s all you can look for, progression and getting better. We’re happy with the squad we have, you always want more, of course you do, but we’re content with the position we find ourselves in.
“You’re never absolutely over the moon because the game has a funny way of kicking you in the backside when you’re too comfortable.
“So, we’re content, but there’s loads of work to do.”
Coleraine hosted Limavady United in a behind closed doors game on Tuesday night with head coach Ruaidhri Higgins using the match to utilise his squad ahead of a busy period with games against Cliftonville, Larne and Crusaders in the space of seven days.
