Jay Boyd tests Aaron McCarey with the hosts' first attempt, unleashing a right-footed effort from 25 yards. The frontman hits the target but the shot lacks the accuracy to trouble the Ports' goalkeeper, who gathers comfortably.

Ben Murdock rises well to clear the danger from Ahu Obhakhan's run, with Robbie Norton looking to launch a counter for the Villagers before being cynically brought down by Eamon Fyfe.

First attack of the game falls to the visitors.

A smart pass down the right by Seanan Clucas leads to Neda Maciulaitis with the ball in midfield. There is a clear overlap to a sprinting Carrick player down the left but Linfield man Matthew Orr does superbly to intercept the pass.

Referee Ross Dunlop gets us underway at a chilly Lakeview Park, where Dean Smith's charges desperately need points to kickstart their survival bid.

We are underway here at Seaview on a historic first blast on the whistle from Louise Thompson! The visitors get us underway attacking the Railway End.

Paul Heatley of Carrick gets the ball rolling at a damp Windsor Park.

The Belfast hills have been lost to the mist in the distance, but Carrick will hope their hopes of a first win in seven against the Blues stays very much in view throughout this game.

Their task won't be easy as Linfield haven't conceded a goal in over 450 minutes of football.

Philip Major
Sportsound summariser

Both games this season between these sides, despite the gulf in league positions, have been very tight. Carrick have upward momentum and I expect this to be another tight game today.

After last week's routine 4-0 win over Wellington Rec in the Irish Cup, it's back to league action for David Healy's league leaders Linfield, and the manager makes five changes to his starting 11 today.

Sam Roscoe, Joel Cooper, Cameron Ballantyne and Matthew Orr all come into the starting lineup as does last year's player of the year Kyle McClean, who makes a welcome return to the 11 after an injury battle.

Underdogs Carrick make just one change to the side that sneaked past Newry City 4-3 in their cup fixture last week.

Cian O'Malley is elevated from the bench and takes the place of Kyle Cherry who is in reserve.

Linfield: Walsh; Roscoe, East, Whiteside, Millar (C), McClean, Cooper, Allen, Ballantyne, Fitzpatrick, Orr.

Subs: Johns; McDaid, McKee, Archer,McGee, Annett, McKay

Carrick Rangers: Glendinning, Maciulaitis, McCullough (C), Buchanan-Rolleston, Clucas, Crowe, O'Malley, Heatley, Gibson, Webb, Boyle.

Subs: McCauley; Cushley, McGuckin, Allen, Andrews, Forbes, Cherry.

Image source, BBC Sport

Stuart King
Former Carrick Rangers manager on BBC Sportsound

Dungannon have been absolutely outstanding all season - Rodney (McAree) has really got them going. For them to come here and have a chance to go second in the table is amazing, especially at this stage of the season.

Louise Thompson will become the first female to referee a men's Irish Premiership game when she takes charge of Saturday's match between Crusaders and Dungannon Swifts at Seaview.

The Fifa official made history back in July 2020 by becoming the first female to referee an Intermediate Cup final.

She has also been in the middle for Irish Cup and Championship games, as well as Women's Premiership matches, and been fourth official at Premiership fixtures.

Read more here

Image source, Inpho

Declan Caddell makes two changes from Tuesday's defeat here against Larne with Josh Williamson and Jordan Owens in for Robbie Weir and goal-scorer Jacob Blaney.

Rodney McAree has been forced into a late change as Andrew Mitchell has pulled up in the warm-up which means a first league start for Brandon Bermingham after his debut goal in the cup last week. Thomas Maguire comes on to the bench.

Crusaders: Tuffey, Callacher, Lowry (C), Forsythe, O'Rourke, Williamson, Owens, Larmour, O'Connor, Nixon, Barr

Subs: Stewart, Blaney, Smith, Maguire, Brown, James, Downey

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scot, Curry (C), Knowles, McGovern, Dillon, Alves, Glenny, Bermingham, Mitchell, Bigirimana

Subs: Solis-Grogan, King, Boyd, Galvin, Hutchinson, McAleese, Maguire

Image source, BBC Sport

Former Carrick Rangers boss Stuart King gives his predictions for today's three games.

Linfield v Carrick Rangers (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

This is a big game for Stephen Baxter and his team - they need the points! Linfield look to be running away with the title at the moment, but I think Carrick will sit in and make it hard for them to open the game up. It could be a late winner to decide this one.

Prediction: 1-0

Crusaders v Dungannon Swifts (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

Dungannon have been brilliant at home and they have had a really good season so far. It's been an up and down season for Crusaders with a bit of a transition with the new manager coming in the summer. I think it's a great appointment, it'll just take time for them to gel properly and get back to being a top-four side in the league.

Prediction: 2-2

Loughgall v Portadown (Saturday, 15:00 GMT, coverage on Sportsound on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio Ulster)

Big Derby game! Loughgall need the points, while Portadown are going really well this season. Dean Smith has brought a few decent players in, and I think they'll pick up with that.

Prediction: 2-2

Image source, BBC Sport / Inpho

Dean Smith's side aims to bounce back from their disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Coleraine, introducing two key changes to the starting lineup.

Robbie Norton and debutant Robert Mahon step in for Alberto Balde and Daire Kelly, while new signings Fra McCaffrey and James Carroll, fresh from his spell at Glenavon, bolster the options from the bench.

Across the dugout, Niall Currie orchestrates a significant shake-up following his team's shock Irish Cup exit to Championship side Annagh United.

The Ports boss, seeking to halt the visitors' recent losing streak, opts for five changes.

Aaron Traynor, Lewis MacKinnon, Ryan Mayse, Eamon Fyfe, and Tabu Minzamba are called upon to replace Steven McCullough, Dougie Wilson, Ben Wylie, Josh Ukek, and Shay McCartan in a bid to revitalize the squad's fortunes.

Loughgall: Gartside, Rea, Murdock, Kelly, Norton, Gibson, Francis, Mahon, Boyd, Towe, McCloskey

Subs: Turker, Ferris, Cartwright, McMenemy, Balde, Carroll, McCaffrey

Portadown: McCarey, Altintop, MacKinnon, Chapman, Mayse, Fyfe, Traynor, Teelan, Obhakhan, Minzamba, Thompson

Subs: Williamson, Redman, Wilson, McElroy, Ukek, McCartan, Moore

Image source, BBC Sport

Larne midfielder Dylan Sloan said he was delighted to celebrate signing a new long-term contract with the club by scoring his second goal in as many games in Friday's 2-0 win over Cliftonville at Inver Park.

The 20-year-old doubled his side's lead on 79 minutes after earlier pressurising Reds defender Luke Conlan into turning the ball into his own net for the opener in the first minute of the second half.

Sloan was also on target in the champions' 3-1 away win at Crusaders on Tuesday.

"Tuesday was my first goal in about a year or so and now I've scored again so that will get my confidence up," the 20-year-old told BBC Sport NI.

"Performance wise I thought we did well in some ways, and we had to dig deep.

"Cliftonville had decent possession during the game, but I thought we controlled it off the ball as well so hopefully we can kick on from here."

Read more from Sloan here.

Image source, Pacemaker Press

Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton says Ryan Curran's disallowed goal in Friday's 2-0 defeat by Larne was a "really poor decision".

Curran had a header ruled out for offside at the end of the first half before Larne hit the opener within 60 seconds of the restart.

Cliftonville's players and staff were incensed with the decision to disallow the goal, which Magilton said would have been "just rewards" for their first-half performance.

Watch highlights as two second-half goals prove enough for Larne to defeat Cliftonville 2-0 to move to fifth place in the Premiership and extend their unbeaten league run to five matches.

Read the report from the game here.

Glentoran manager Declan Devine has been named as the Northern Ireland Football Writers' manager of the month for December.

The Glens boss guided his charges to three victories and one draw in the Irish Premiership during the final month of 2024, a run which helped propel his side to second spot in the top flight table.

The Oval outfit were 3-1 winners against Crusaders at Seaview, ran out 2-1 victors over Cliftonville at Solitude, drew 0-0 with Linfield on Boxing Day and defeated Portadown 2-0 at Shamrock Park.

The east Belfast side also began the month by beating big Belfast derby rivals Linfield 1-0 at Windsor Park to advance to the quarter-final stage of the BetMcLean Cup.

Read more here

Image source, bbc sport

Northern Ireland international Liam Boyce has joined League of Ireland side Derry City from Hearts on a two-year deal.

Lynch said that bringing in Boyce was a "serious coup" for the club.

"You only have to look at Liam's record in England and Scotland over the last 10 years to see the quality that he brings. He's a proven goalscorer and a great addition for us," Lynch told the club's website.

Image source, BBC Sport / Derry City

Derry have also brought in fellow Northern Ireland international Gavin Whyte on a three-year contract.

The former Crusaders man was a free agent and sought after player after leaving Championship side Portsmouth by mutual consent in August.

Lynch said that "every club in the country" was trying to sign Whyte.

"The plans that we put in front of him about what we want to do and where we want to go probably excited him the most", he told the club's website.

Both arrivals are a major boost for Tiernan Lynch, who begins his first season in charge of the Candystripes on 14 February.

Read more here.

Image source, BBC Sport / Derry City

Linfield striker Matthew Fitzpatrick has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him at Windsor Park until 2027.

The 30-year-old joined Linfield from Glenavon in 2023 and won the BetMcLean Cup last season.

He has scored six league goals as David Healy's side top the Irish Premiership table in the current campaign.

Fitzpatrick said he has "loved it" at Linfield and he is aiming for more success in the future.

"There's obviously different demands at a full-time club and a club like Linfield compared to what I was used to before", the striker told Linfield TV.

"I still am adjusting to it in some aspects but I'm really enjoying my football and I welcome the hard work and the expectation.

"I'm starting to show what I can do over the last year or so and hopefully it leads to more success for the club."

Image source, Pacemaker Press