Liontips
Crusaders vs Larne: Northern Ireland Championship match betting tip
The previously unplayed 2nd round of the Northern Ireland Championship between the Crusaders and Larne teams will take place on January 7. Will anyone manage to win this meeting, or will the score be equal after the final whistle? You will find the answer and trending bets in our betting tip. Which event should you choose for a bet?
Command Analysis
Crusaders
N. IrelandCurrent form
Crusaders had a good end to last year and a good start to the new one. They beat Cliftonville 2-0 in late December and then drew 0-0 with Carrick Rangers. In the first week of 2025, they managed to thrash Knockbreda 3-0 in the FA Cup. Despite these good performances, the club is an underdog in the upcoming match, even though Larne are lower in the rankings and have not been playing at their best recently.
Last year we had to play three times with the upcoming opponent. We managed to win one match with a score of 2:0, then there was a defeat - 0:1, and then a draw (1:1).
Disqualifications and injuries
At the moment, all football players are in action.
Interesting trends for betting
- The Crusaders are unbeaten in three games in a row.
- The hosts have scored at home for nine games in a row
Probable lineup: Taffy - Kallacher, Clarke, White, Lomur - Lowry, Nixon, O'Rourke - Ovens, Weir, Blaney.
Larne
N. IrelandCurrent form
Larne, after a disastrous start to the season, seem to have started to recover. At the moment, the national champion of the last two seasons is not even in the top 6, sitting in ninth place in the relegation group. But there is no need to despair, because the team has played only 16 matches in the national championship, while all other teams have exceeded the mark of 20 matches played.
2025 started unexpectedly for Larne. In the 1/16 finals of the national cup, the team lost in extra time to the club from the Second Division of Northern Ireland Limavady, and the odds for the victory of the current champion of the country did not even rise to 1.15. It is possible that this was done on purpose in order to better focus on performances in the national championship.
Disqualifications and injuries
All football players are at the disposal of the head coach.
Interesting trends for betting
- Larne have lost three of their last five away games
- In the last two games, the visitors couldn't even score
Probable line-up: Ferguson - Bolger, Cosgrove, Donely, Callagher - Graham, Listy, Randall, Ryan - Tods, Want.
Trends
Bet Exact score 1:2
Larne have won their last two games by narrow margins
7.70Larne to score in the second half
In two of the last four matches the bet was successful
1.75Crusaders to score in the second half
In the last three matches the bet came in
1.78Tip and bets
Larne have stopped participating in European competitions and the national cup, so now the current champions can fully concentrate on the national championship. We are inclined to think that this is exactly what will happen. The gap to the leader Linfield is 22 points, but Larne have six games in hand. If they manage to win them all, the handicap will be reduced to four points. Most likely, the visitors will play at a different level and will be able to achieve the desired result for themselves in the upcoming meeting - a victory.
Our prediction is a Larne win with odds of 2.30
Bet on total
In head-to-head encounters, Crusaders have not been playing their best at home lately. In the last three matches, the hosts were unable to even score. This cannot continue forever, and at the moment, the team has been delighting fans with goals scored for nine games in a row. We believe that this trend will not be interrupted, but it is also unlikely that they will be able to keep a clean sheet against such a strong opponent.
Our prediction is both teams to score with odds of 2.00
Bet on corners
Crusaders average 5.1 corners per game, while Larne average 3.9. Despite the away side averaging fewer corners, we're inclined to believe they'll be more aggressive and win not just on the scoreline but on other metrics as well.
Our prediction is Larne will take more corners with odds of 1.80
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