Linfield boss David Healy believes the league leaders have found a second wind at the perfect time after blowing Crusaders asunder at Windsor Park on Friday night.
Jimmy Callacher bagged a double and Andy Waterworth and Stephen Fallon were also on target in a thumping 4-0 win that put the Blues in pole position at the top.
The Big Two giants, who looked out of sorts a month ago, have got their mojo back and taken maximum points from their last four league outings.
And crucially Healy believes his players, who started the season on fire on the back of a memorable European campaign, are looking hungry and fresh again.
The fact they are also out of the Irish Cup and don’t play in the league again until March 7 - when they travel to Carrick Rangers - could also be an unexpected bonus heading into the final strait.
“We have a break now but we’ll be ready to go at Carrick in two weeks time,” said Healy.
“I think the players have earned a little bit of a break, because bear in mind we started the season in June and played a lot of European games, travelling here and everywhere.
“There was a spell in and around Christmas and the New Year where it was starting to tell and we looked a little bit jaded and leggy, but we have freshened things up a little bit.
“It’s not ideal being out of the Irish Cup, absolutely not, but one thing it does do is refocus the players even more that when we play Carrick we’re refreshed and ready to go again.”
Friday night’s 4-0 win over a Crusaders side tipped to chase Linfield all the way in this season’s Gibson Cup race laid down a massive marker in South Belfast.
Stephen Baxter’s men are now 11 points off the top - albeit with a game in hand - and have an Everest-sized mountain to climb to stay in the title equation.
“It was an exceptional performance, especially in the second half,” said Healy. “Crusaders are real challengers, so to get the result and performance we did was very pleasing.”
With eight games to go, the Blues are firm favourites to retain the Gibson Cup for the first time during Healy’s four-and-a-half year reign.
“We have to stay switched on,” insisted the former Northern Ireland striker. “There is still a long way to go in the title race and a lot of points still to be played for.
“Hopefully there aren’t too many twists and turns. If we keep performing the way we did against Crusaders we can look after ourselves.”
**Coleraine midfielder Stephen Lowry was a special guest on the latest That's What I Call Football podcast - and you can check it out here.
