Neither would win may popularity polls right now but the supporters of both clubs will be hoping and praying that their manager will be the one who can lift his side to win the East Lancs derby at Ewood Park.
Dyche was at Ewood on Tuesday to see Millwall knock our rivals out of the FA Cup and Appleton wants much, much better than that tomorrow.
"We'll be giving everything that we've got on the day," he said yesterday. "I'm aware of the passion and the rivalry between both towns. We are aware of how important it is to the fans.
"I'd like to think that some of the local lads and those who have played in these games before will be able to tell the other players in the squad about their experiences and how important it is.
"Hopefully we've got enough in our armoury to win the game. I'm convince that we have. I'm sure that the fans will get behind us. It would be nice to have a big crowd at Ewood, and I'm sure the fans will thrive on that as well."
One night before their cup exit, Burnley had lost at home to Hull in a game that had television viewers switching channels in droves. The week has been something of a downer since but Dyche is fully aware of what's at stake.
"People have consistently told me since I arrived we haven't beaten Blackburn for 34 years," he said.
"We have a great chance to go and perform and win a game for many different reasons, one of which is to be part of history and be a team that is looked at, down the line, as the one that broke that chain of events.
"History is telling us the length of time since we got a victory, but the expectation is on them to perform at home, as a club who have come out of the Premier League and having spent a fortune on players.
"All that comes into the melting pot for Blackburn and their supporters, but that doesn't mean we don't expect to do well."
He added: "In games like this I'm not sure it goes with form. It's more about dealing with the occasion, going there in the right mood and still performing. It's that weird kind of knife-edge enjoyment which is fantastic and just what I like.
"Anyone can take the wheel of a ship in calm water, but it's not so easy when things are not so calm. I enjoy that kind of challenge and I've expressed to the players that games like this are what you are in it for because it gives you that fear and expectancy."