Grella sits out derby

Posted Sunday, October 18, 2009 by PA

Vince Grella is out of Blackburn's derby with Burnley but otherwise Sam Allardyce has a strong squad to choose from.

Grella picked up a thigh injury on international duty with Australia but goalkeeper Paul Robinson and centre-half duo Ryan Nelsen and Chris Samba have all recovered from knocks.

Steven Reid (Achilles) will also miss the match at Ewood Park.

Ahead of the game, Allardyce is looking for an early birthday present.

Allardyce turns 55 on Monday and hopes he will have plenty to celebrate following the encounter with the Clarets.

He said: "It would be a nice early birthday present for me if the lads can pull it off.

"For the fans we feel we have to win. We know the responsibility that lies on us.

"I'm sure many Blackburn and Burnley fans work together and we want the Blackburn fans to go home as happy as they can be and looking forward to getting up and going to work on Monday morning and bumping into that Burnley fan, saying 'We've got one over on you'."

Burnley have no new injury concerns although they still have plenty of long-term casualties.

Fernando Guerrero, Chris McCann, Kevin McDonald, Martin Paterson and Jay Rodriguez will all miss the encounter.

Guerrero injured his hamstring and McDonald sustained a knee problem in a reserve game 10 days ago.

Rodriguez became the third of Owen Coyle's players to be ruled out until Christmas when he fractured his ankle in the same match, joining Paterson and McCann, who both have knee injuries, on the sidelines.

Boss Owen Coyle has asked Burnley fans to make sure their excitement does not get out of hand.

A sell-out crowd is expected at Ewood Park for what will be the first Barclays Premier League meeting between the clubs, and the first in the top flight for more than 30 years. The rivalry between the two sets of supporters is notoriously fierce and police security has been stepped up for the fixture, but Coyle hopes the atmosphere will add to the spectacle on Sunday rather than detract from it.

"It's not come about for so long and people's nerves will be frayed but that's why we love football, the excitement of it," Coyle said.

"My message is, let's go along and make it a real entertaining afternoon with both teams going all out, committed to winning the game - and let's make sure we support our teams, but make sure we conduct ourselves in the right manner."

There is certainly no animosity between the two managers, and Coyle said he and opposite number Allardyce would be meeting up after the game regardless of the result.

"I know Sam well and I have met up with him on three occasions this year already and had extensive chats with him," Coyle said. "He's been great, I have a lot of time for him as a football person because his record is there for everyone to see in the success he has had, and as a man - he has gone out of his way on a few occasions to help me.

"He knows win, lose or draw, we will sit down together and have a chat after the game."