It's time for the local derby

It's just over two and a half years since we last met Blackpool. That was our 1-0 win at what was then half a ground in conditions that were nothing short of a joke. Christian Kalvenes got the goal that night, his only Burnley goal, in a much needed win coming three days after a 4-2 home defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

Junior Stanislas back after being cup tied at Cardiff

I don't think anyone could have thought at the time that by our next meeting we would have both spent a year in the Premier League, but that's exactly what happened although, unfortunately, neither of us were able to survive it.

We go into the game having recovered from two league defeats against Reading and Barnsley with a win last Saturday at Coventry. Despite the win we didn't move up the table and we currently sit in 17th place which is five places and five points behind Blackpool.

Winning at Coventry is something we've not found too difficult over the years. We have a cracking record there and it's one of those grounds you look forward to visiting. Overall, we've found winning away a lot easier than winning at home over the past few months. Three of our four league wins this season have come on the road whilst we've won  five at home and eight away in the league since Eddie Howe became manager.

We've two home games in the next few days with a visit from Leicester to follow on Tuesday and we really need to start picking up some points at home, and starting tomorrow against Blackpool would be a big boost.

They're our closest rivals, geographically, in the Championship and that always gives the game something of an extra edge and Jay Rodriguez said this week. "It's always nice to score, but especially in a derby.

"It's just that bit more special to get one in the derby because it's a massive game and brings a different atmosphere. Both games against Preston (Jay scored in both last season) were really good games and ones to remember and hopefully we can replicate that on Saturday."

Ross Wallace, Charlie Austin and Marvin Bartley were left out of the Carling Cup tie at Cardiff Tuesday with all three nursing minor injuries. They were all used as subs but Eddie Howe confirmed they all still had their respective problems.

Other than that, there appear to be no other problems other than the long term injury victims and even some of those players, Michael Duff in particular, could be fit to return sometime next month.

I'm sure the three mentioned above will all start should they be passed fit and I think Junior Stanislas, cup tied on Tuesday, will come straight back in.

The team could look something like: Lee Grant, Kieran Trippier, David Edgar, Ben Mee, Brian Easton, Ross Wallace, Marvin Bartley, Chris McCann, Junior Stanislas, Charlie Austin, Jay Rodriguez. Subs: Jon Stewart, Andre Amougou, Dean Marney, Keith Treacy, Zavon Hines.

Our Opponents - Blackpool

Tomorrow will see Ian Holloway bring his Blackpool team to Turf Moor for the first time. The last time they were here it was under the management of Simon Grayson whilst Holloway last came up against the Clarets when in charge of Leicester in November 2007, a game that ended 1-1 with David Unsworth getting the Burnley goal.

He took over at Bloomfield Road in the summer of 2009 and has done a remarkable job. In his first season in charge he engineered a promotion to the Premier League via the play offs and it was only on the last day of the season that their relegation was confirmed and like Burnley a year earlier they got so many of their points in the first half of the season.

On their return to the Championship they are in a similar position to the one we found ourselves in a year ago from their first 13 games with just one point less than we had.

Despite all this it appears Holloway has been getting some stick from some Blackpool fans, this last week when they lost at home to Nottingham Forest. It was their second home defeat of the season, they also lost to Derby, but overall the form has been good at Bloomfield Road.

Away from home they've won just once and that was in the first Championship game played this season, a 1-0 win at Hull on the Friday ahead of opening day when a Gary Taylor-Fletcher goal gave them a 1-0 win.

Since they've picked up points at Brighton, Crystal Palace and Coventry whilst losing at Portsmouth and West Ham. Their defensive display at West Ham, in their last away game, was nothing to write home about as they went down 4-0.

The Taylor-Fletcher goal at Hull is one of four league goals he's scored this season, but their leading goalscorer, and one for the Clarets to keep a careful eye on, is 38-year-old Kevin Phillips. He's scored six times this season.

Blackpool could include former Newcastle striker Lomana Lua-Lua. He signed for them a couple of weeks ago but was some way short of match fitness, although he was used as a sub at West Ham. He's been put through a rigorous training regime and has now played in a behind closed doors game and could come into the reckoning tomorrow.

Other than that, they are expected to name a similar line up to the one that lost to Forest, which was: Matthew Gilks, Alex Baptiste, Craig Cathcart, Neal Eardley, Stephen Crainey, Barry Ferguson, Jonjo Shelvey, Thomas Ince, Kevin Phillips, Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Callum McManaman. Subs: Mark Howard, Craig Sutherland, Keith Southern, Gerardo Bruna, Ian Evatt.

Last Time They Were Here

Wade Elliott - played well

The date was 16th September 2008 and the recovery from a poor start to the season was just underway. We'd won two Carling Cup ties against Bury and Oldham, hardly knowing where that might take us, but finally we'd won a league game with Graham Alexander scoring twice in a win at Nottingham Forest.

Three days later, on the Tuesday night, Blackpool came to Turf Moor and, as my report was headed at the time, we made them look like donkeys in what was, by far, our best performance of the season so far.

There was real interest in this game. Steven Thompson, the latest signing from Cardiff, was making his home debut whilst Wade Elliott was up against Blackpool's new left back Mo Camara, the first time he'd faced him since giving him a torrid time playing for Bournemouth against Burnley.

Elliott got the better of him in the first minute and crossed for Thompson but the new man blazed his shot into the cricket field stand.

It set a pattern for the game with Elliott again tormenting the ex-Claret but when we reached half time the score was still 0-0 despite us having dominated things.

The early part of the second half saw us ease off somewhat and could our chance have gone? No was the answer. Elliott made another run, played the ball to Martin Paterson who stepped inside a defender and then hit a shot across the goalkeeper and into the far corner.

That was just about game over, as we totally dominated, but the second goal might have been a bit fortunate. We won a corner and Ian Evatt was all over Steven Caldwell, but BEFORE the kick was taken.

When the ball came across, the assistant flagged, referee Jon Moss agreed, Blackpool complained and then, for the first time for Burnley at Turf Moor, Graham Alexander stepped up take the penalty.

Incredibly, an even clearer penalty, was missed by the officials before the final whistle went on a 2-0 win that saw us move into the top half of the table.

The teams were;

Burnley: Brian Jensen, Russell Anderson, Clarke Carlisle, Steven Caldwell, Stephen Jordan, Graham Alexander, Wade Elliott, Kevin McDonald (Joey Gudjonsson 86), Chris McCann, Steven Thompson (Ade Akinbiyi 83), Martin Paterson (Robbie Blake 85). Subs not used: Diego Penny, Alan Mahon.

Blackpool: Paul Rachubka, Shaun Barker, Ian Evatt, Rob Edwards, Mo Camara (Joe Martin 70), Adam Hammill, Keith Southern, Claus Jorgensen (Alan Gow 70), David Vaughan, Gary Taylor-Fletcher (Daniel Nardiello 76), Ben Burgess. Subs not used: Zesh Rehman, David Fox.

Previous Games against Blackpool

Click HERE to see all previous results against Blackpool