Crusaders FC vs Cliftonville FC: prediction and stats
PremiershipRegular Season - 22Kick-off on December 26, 2026 at 03:00 PM (UTC)Seaview, Belfast
The Footlab model makes Cliftonville FC the favourite at 42%, against 26% for a draw and 32% for Crusaders FC. The most likely score is 1-1.
This model is measured at 53.9% 1X2 accuracy on a temporal hold-out, against 33.3% for random guessing. See the measured accuracy
Probabilities recomputed on Aug 26, 2026. The full match card is recomputed continuously until kick-off.
Who will win Crusaders FC vs Cliftonville FC?
Cliftonville FC starts as the favourite with a 130-point Elo edge (1,588 vs 1,458).
What is the recent form of both teams?
Over their last 15 matches in all competitions, Crusaders FC have 10 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats; Cliftonville FC have 7, 1 and 7.
The competition is shown for every match: in pre-season, several of these games are friendlies.
| Date | Opponent | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2026 | Portadown(home) | 3-2 | Premiership |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Ballymena United(home) | 2-1 | Premiership |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Cliftonville FC(away) | 1-2 | Premiership |
| Aug 1, 2026 | Dundela(home) | 2-0 | Friendlies Clubs |
| Jul 28, 2026 | Newington Youth(home) | 1-1 | Friendlies Clubs |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2026 | Linfield(away) | 0-1 | Premiership |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Bangor(away) | 3-0 | Premiership |
| Aug 7, 2026 | Crusaders FC(home) | 2-1 | Premiership |
| Jul 25, 2026 | Alvechurch(home) | 1-2 | Friendlies Clubs |
| Jul 21, 2026 | Warrenpoint Town(home) | 2-1 | Friendlies Clubs |
What does the head-to-head say?
Across the last 6 meetings: 2 Crusaders FC win(s), 0 draw(s), 4 Cliftonville FC win(s).
| Date | Score | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2026 | Cliftonville FC 2-1 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Mar 10, 2026 | Crusaders FC 0-1 Cliftonville FC | Premiership |
| Feb 21, 2026 | Cliftonville FC 5-2 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Dec 26, 2025 | Cliftonville FC 1-2 Crusaders FC | Premiership |
| Mar 1, 2025 | Crusaders FC 1-2 Cliftonville FC | Irish Cup |
| Dec 26, 2024 | Crusaders FC 2-0 Cliftonville FC | Premiership |
Last archived meeting: Cliftonville FC vs Crusaders FC on Aug 7, 2026
How many goals should we expect?
Crusaders FC score 1.9 and concede 1.0 goals per match over their last 15; Cliftonville FC score 1.3 and concede 1.5. The model gives a 57% probability of over 2.5 goals and 61% for both teams to score.
| Club | Goals scored / match | Goals conceded / match | Clean sheets | Both teams scored | Over 2.5 goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crusaders FC | 1.9 | 1.0 | 6 | 9/15 | 9/15 |
| Cliftonville FC | 1.3 | 1.5 | 5 | 8/15 | 10/15 |
Over the last 15 matches in all competitions.
Where do both teams sit in the table?
Crusaders FC sit 4th in Premiership (6 points from 3 matches) and Cliftonville FC sit 3rd (6 points from 3 matches).
| # | Club | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Cliftonville FC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 6 |
| 4 | Crusaders FC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
Verdict, probable XI and verified absences
The full match card recomputes this prediction continuously until kick-off: multi-market verdict, player-by-player probable XI and web-verified absences.
Open the full match card in the app
No odds, no affiliation: the method is published and the accuracy is measured.
How does Footlab compute this prediction?
The model combines both teams' Elo ratings (anchored by competition pool), their recent form weighted by opponent strength, home advantage and a Poisson matrix for scorelines. Its accuracy is measured continuously on the predictions actually published. Methodology and measured accuracy
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the favourite for Crusaders FC vs Cliftonville FC?
- The Footlab model makes Cliftonville FC the favourite at 42%, against 26% for a draw and 32% for Crusaders FC.
- Where and when is Crusaders FC vs Cliftonville FC played?
- Crusaders FC vs Cliftonville FC is played on December 26, 2026 at 03:00 PM (UTC) at Seaview, in the Premiership.
- Will there be over 2.5 goals?
- The Footlab model gives a 57% probability of at least three goals in this match.
- How reliable is this prediction?
- The Footlab model is measured at 53.9% correct 1X2 outcomes on a temporal hold-out, against 33.3% for random guessing. The breakdown by competition and Elo gap is published on the accuracy page.