Linfield face a real uphill task if they are to qualify for the Conference League with Shelbourne boasting a 3-1 lead from the first leg of this qualifying tie. 

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• These sides faced off in the early rounds Champions League qualifying just a month ago, with Shelbourne coming away 2-1 winners after the two legs.

• Linfield kicked off their title defence of the Northern Irish Premiership with a 3-0 win over Dungannon Swifts courtesy of a hat-trick from Kieran Offord who has also scored two goals in their Conference League qualifying campaign.

• Shelbourne have been meek in their defence of the Irish Premier Division title and currently sit 14 points behind league leaders Shamrock Rovers.

🔵 Linfield must start on the front foot

Linfield have won both of their opening games in the Northern Irish Premiership with four goals scored across these games and none conceded. They battled pretty valiantly in the first leg having been reduced to 10 men very early on and could have come away just one goal down had Offord converted his penalty kick.

Linfield will have to go for it quite early on here, Shelbourne’s domestic form this season tells us that this tie could be far from over if Linfield can get the first goal of the contest.

Linfield won 16 of their 20 home games in the Northern Irish Premiership last season, they scored 37 goals across these games (1.85 per game) so they certainly have the required scoring power to try and unsettle Shelbourne here. 

🔴 Shelbourne are in control of the tie

This Conference League qualifier gives Shelbourne a break from their domestic duties, it’s fair to say that they’ve underperformed in the league this season having topped the pile last year - Shelbourne currently find themselves 14 points behind league leaders Shamrock Rovers in the Irish Premier Division.

They have drawn seven of their 13 away games in the league this season which gives us a slight indication of how they’ll set up here knowing that they have a two goal lead from the first leg. They’ll be aided by Linfield’s approach which will have to be front footed if they want a way back in this tie.

📊 Linfield v Shelbourne H2H

Aside from the first leg meeting, these sides met as part of Champions League qualification with Shelbourne coming away 2-1 winners after two legs. 

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* All odds displayed correct at the time of publishing.