DAVID Dunn insists the importance of Sunday’s East Lancashire derby will speak for itself the moment both teams step out onto the Ewood Park turf.

Dunn is the only home-grown player from either side to be involved in Sunday’s Premier League clash but is confident there will be no problem in getting his team mates fired up for the occasion.

Dunn, born in Great Harwood, starred in Blackburn Rovers’ last league meeting against Burnley, a 5-0 drubbing of Burnley in 2001, and is desperate to extend the Clarets’ 30 years of derby pain.

His lifelong Blackburn Rovers allegiance has led to many pointing to him as ‘the key man’ come Sunday on and off the field but the midfielder himself is confident everyone involved will know what is at stake.

He said: “I can say whatever to the lads about the size of the game but I think when they turn up on the Sunday, as soon as they go out there they will know it is a special game.

“If you can’t get yourself up for this game then you may as well give up.

“People who aren’t from here probably wouldn’t give a damn about the match. But it is a big derby. The bragging rights are at stake, they are obviously doing quite well and fair play to them but we really want one over on them.”

Being utilised ‘in the hole’ behind lone striker Franco Di Santo in recent weeks, Dunn is enjoying a new lease of life at Ewood Park after putting a couple of injury-plagued seasons behind him.

He has already scored four goals in his last six games for Rovers, including a late winner last time out at Ewood against Aston Villa, and is targeting more of the same come Sunday.

“I hope I get three goals this weekend, we definitely want to win that game don’t we?” he said.

“The last time I played against Burnley we beat them 5-0 and I am hoping that is the case again this weekend.

“I hadn’t really thought about it until people started asking the questions after the Villa game. It is going to be a good game, the atmosphere is going to be great but the main thing is we go out there and do our best and be good enough to get a win.”

Going into the game five points adrift of Burnley in the league, with a game in hand, maximum points are important for Rovers ahead of tough trips to Chelsea and Manchester United.

But, while climbing away from relegation trouble is the priority, Dunn knows local bragging rights are more than just a small matter at stake come Sunday as well.

He said: “I look at my mates and half of them are Burnley fans and half of them are Blackburn fans - although I probably don’t pick the phone up so much to the Burnley ones.

“But one of my best mates is a big Burnley fan and the bragging rights will certainly be at stake.

"We certainly don’t want to come out with anything other than a win on that day.”

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