Burnley boss Owen Coyle has called on his players to keep their focus ahead of Sunday's derby clash with Blackburn, the first ever Premier League meeting between the two clubs. He said: "I think it's fair to say that the game will start at a frantic pace and I can imagine the atmosphere already - they will all be singing their hearts out.
"But you hope as well that you don't get lost in all that. You're here to play football, to put your foot on the ball and pass and move it - so I will try to impart that to my players. I hope we will go and show Burnley in a real good light.
"It's important that we don't lose sight of the fact that it is a football match; it's the Premier League, and we want to represent and show the quality that the Premier League holds."
While Coyle had a stint as a player at nearby Bolton in the 1990s, he was oblivious to the intensity of Burnley and Blackburn's rivalry until he became boss at Turf Moor two years ago.
He said: "I had two-and-a-half brilliant years at Bolton and absolutely loved it, and Blackburn and Burnley were just along the road. But I wasn't aware of the rivalry at all.
"But I think I was in the job here five minutes when I came out of a press conference and somebody who worked at the football club came up to me and said 'listen, all the best - but make sure you beat the Rovers when you play them!'
"I thought 'we're in a different division to begin with!' But it struck home straightaway, that intense rivalry."
Coyle added: "We've obviously obtained the right now to be operating at the same level, in the best league in the world, and I think that's fantastic for the whole community.
"You have two towns, rivals as they are, but both in this league - and I think people should be looking at that.
"There are some big glamour clubs that aren't operating at this level any more, and two of the so-called smaller towns are - so I think you have to take pride from that.
"Both clubs want to ensure that they remain there for many years to come. To do that we have to earn points, whether it be a derby or not, so that's my focus."
