What Vincent Kompany said about Blackpool test as new Burnley boss prepares for first derby

His Clarets side welcome Blackpool to Turf Moor on Saturday as the Seasiders look to make it two wins from two after their win at QPR in midweek.

It will be the first time the two sides have met since 2014, while the last time Blackpool made the trip to Turf Moor was nine years ago.

With the Seasiders travelling in big numbers it should make for a spicy occasion, one Kompany intends to make the most of.

“Usually players and managers try to tone it down a bit and play it down, I'm happy to give it the importance it deserves,” he told our sister paper the Burnley Express.

“You are in this game to win and have titles, but not everyone gets titles, so the next best thing is to win derbies and games against big sides or whatever, they are your trophy games, and derbies are a big part of that, whether you play against Blackpool, or Wigan, or the other one I won't name! They are important games.

“These games do feel a bit different, but I do admit it's probably going to grow with the years.

“I'm hearing about them now, so I'm trying to understand, but I do feel our team has the right ingredients for a derby, in terms of the intensity you can see, and I don't expect anything else.”

When asked to pick out his personal favourite derby moment from his time as a player, the former Man City skipper brought up his winning goal against city rivals Manchester United in 2012.

“There's always the 6-1 as well,” the Belgian said. “It's difficult, but I'll go for the goal (against United).

“If I speak about those days, the magnitude of these types of moments, if I bring it back to my players, every derby is a chance to do something a little more meaningful than any other game.

“When you have a 46-game season, a lot can be forgotten, but these games stay, that's what they're there for.

“The biggest mistake in a derby is, and I've not known any great team do it, is to change everything you do in the derby, I don't care if it's AC Milan against Inter, any league, Ajax-Feyenoord…

“It's a big game, and you have to be even better at what you do, and more aggressive in what you do, and more opportunistic in the moments around the box.”