By Johnny Morton

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Outside of missing the Glens’ season opener at Portadown through suspension, Palmer has played every minute for the East Belfast club so far in their charge to the Premiership’s summit. Devine’s men have put together a six-match unbeaten run, conceding only once in the process, but face a major test on Friday evening in the first ‘Big Two’ meeting of the campaign against defending champions Linfield. Palmer has shone across the opening month, including in Saturday’s 2-0 triumph over Ballymena United where summer signing Pat Hoban marked his first Irish League start by scoring after only 11 minutes. The 25-year-old is one of many midfield options at Devine’s disposal with the likes of Josh Kelly, Joe Thomson, James Douglas, Liam Burt, Charlie Lindsay, James Singleton and Jordan Stewart all vying for position. Palmer seems to have nailed down his spot, but the former Rangers youngster isn’t taking anything for granted and has hailed the environment created by Devine. “I’m really happy with how I’ve started the season and it’s always good to be contributing to the team,” he said. “But at a club like Glentoran you can never rest on that. “We’ve got so much quality in midfield and across the squad that you have to be at your very best every single week just to keep your place. “That competition has pushed me on and I feel in a really good place with my game right now. I’m enjoying my football, I feel confident and the most important thing is that I’m helping the team get results. “The challenge now is to maintain that level and keep improving, especially going into big games like Friday night. “This is without doubt the strongest squad environment I’ve been part of since I arrived at the BetMcLean Oval. The quality we have across the pitch is outstanding and it means you can’t take anything for granted. “If you’re not at your best in training or in games, there are lads ready to step in and take your place. That competition drives standards every single day and it’s a massive reason why we’ve started the season so well.” Linfield finished 22 points clear at the top last season and have enjoyed a perfect start to their title defence, winning all three matches while keeping a hat-trick of clean sheets in the process. Having previously spent time with the Blues, Palmer knows all about their drive for success, and he has outlined certain criteria which must be met if Glentoran are to seal a positive result. “Linfield are the champions and they earned that last season, so it’s up to us to challenge them every step of the way,” he added. “Right now, the only focus is Friday night, our performance, our intensity and giving ourselves the best possible chance of taking three points. “We know they’re a top side with quality all over the pitch, but we’ve prepared well and we trust the work that’s gone in on the training ground. “For us it’s about staying disciplined, sticking to the game plan and making sure we play to our strengths. If we do that, we’re confident we can deliver the result our supporters deserve.”