Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen believes this weekend's derby at home to Burnley is a bigger match for the club than facing Manchester United.
Although the two east Lancashire rivals have played each other as recently as 2005 they have not met in the top flight of English football since 1965. However, Burnley have enjoyed great success so far in their maiden Premier League season and are five points ahead of Rovers, although they have yet to win a point from home.
"It is the biggest game for the club," said the Norway international, who admits he did not discover just how fierce the local rivalry was until he scored an 84th-minute winner in their last meeting - an FA Cup fifth round replay four years ago.
"It is bigger to play Burnley in a local derby than it is to play Manchester United if you look at history.
"You have to be prepared and I am looking forward to it."
Pedersen added on Rovers Player: "I didn't understand how big the game was until after that replay, which we won.
"When I scored the crowd went mental and it is probably the loudest I have ever heard Ewood."
Rovers midfielder Vince Grella could be a doubt for the match after he came off 20 minutes into Australia's friendly with Holland in Sydney with a thigh problem.
The 30-year-old has already been ruled out of the footballoos' Asian Cup qualifier against Oman in Melbourne on Wednesday and that makes his participation against Burnley unlikely.
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well its the closet dingle peterjon again come out from under your 3rd division ground stone eh?? try a comment after sunday about who's going down and who isn't??
You're wasting your time boys and girls all this hype is to get you to part with your money thats all its about.Get real ROVERS ARE ON THEIR WAY DOWN!!!!no last minute escape this season.
This is for the unknowing (in particular Jumaboy) When it comes to 'Local Derbies' nothing compares to Rovers versus Burnley. Forget Man U v Man C, Everton v Liverpool, Rangers v Celtic etc etc There is nothing that comes close to beating Burnley any day!!! And this weekend we would do if we had a striker who can score!!! Lets hope the Burnley bus gets lost round Accrington!!
Mr pederson what would you know about this game?? look below and thats what it means to all the supporters be it young and old, 55 yrs a blackburn supporter and we just cant loose on sunday. Not wishing to be too @#$% the three total complete waste of space "Alledged strikers" this yr but you are in there!
.Dear Sam and the players,
if you dont beat the dingles on Sunday, which really should be no problem at all considering the little upstarts from the fizzy league cant win away or even score? there will be less than 5000 on the following home game i can guarantee! both yourself and the players will be named and shamed as the only blackburn team to have lost to a complete bunch of sunday afternoon pub players and no hopers in not only the recent past but as far back as i can remember! and i can remember a long way back! do the players understand the significance of this game? Do they care? are they interested? looking at the arsenal game headless chickens springs to mind lets all hope you dont have to preside over a complete debacle and disgrace for our once great club!
on the bright side without roberts,mc carthy (taking over from roberts as the weakest link)and pederson we might have a small chance of winning!
man utd should buy akinfeev, fabregas, mertesacker, bosingwa
Wow unto you for degrading the Champions to Burnely! I wish you get thrashed!!!!!
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