JON DAHL TOMASSON was barely through the door at Blackburn Rovers and he was already being further informed about the club’s rivalry with Burnley.

The two sides meet at Turf Moor this Sunday, renewing one of the most heated rivalries in football after a relatively long break as far as meetings between two historically good football teams are concerned.

Though Tomasson’s Blackburn had just knocked Premier League side West Ham United out of the EFL Cup on penalties on Wednesday, much of the focus around the game and after it was on the East Lancashire Derby.

Indeed, much of the focus since he arrived at the club has been on this game.

Lesley Fielding’s official title at Blackburn is Player Liaison Officer but as a longstanding club custodian who has held various roles, he was on hand to help Tomasson understand the institution he was walking into and to help him settle at Blackburn following his appointment as manager in June.

“When I arrived it was the first thing Lesley told me about, the first thing he spoke about, so I knew about it from minute one,” Tomasson said of the Burnley rivalry after his side had just defeated West Ham.

“We look forward to the game. Big credit to the players, who have done excellently so far. We go to Burnley to play well and to give a good performance.”

In terms of its intensity, there are few rivalries like it. It might not be as high profile as some others but it is one of the most fervid. Such rivalries can often boil over, which also adds a sense of menace to the occasion felt in such hostile derbies across the world of football.

Some of the Blackburn Rovers staff, especially those who may be more visible to fans, have been advised not to wear club colours.