How do Burnley's first 5 fixtures of 2024/25 compare to Blackburn Rovers | OneFootball

A look at how the two East Lancashire rivals' starts to the season match-up

After a year away, the hotly contested and fiercely fought East Lancashire derby between Blackburn Rovers and Burnley.

The latter's stint in the Premier League last season meant the fixture was not played during the 2023/24 campaign.

But with the Clarets suffering an immediate relegation from the top-flight last season, and Rovers finishing 19th in the Championship, both will compete in the second tier this season.

As a result, they will now go head to head once again, and they will not have long to wait for that first meeting with one another.

Blackburn are due to travel to Turf Moor to face Burnley on August 31st. But just how do the rest of the two Lancashire rivals' opening games of the season compare?

Here, we've given a run-down of both club's first five games of the Championship season, to find out how their starts to the campaign might work out.

Blackburn Rovers' first five 2024/25 fixtures

Blackburn will get the season underway on Friday 9th August, when they host last season's League One promotion winners Derby County at Ewood Park, in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

That is followed by a trip to Carrow Road on Saturday 17th August to face Norwich City, who were beaten by Leeds United in last season's Championship play-off semi-final, and have since appointed Johannes Hoff Thorup to replace David Wagner as manager.

A week later, another newly promoted side travel to Ewood Park to face John Eustace's side, in the form of Oxford United.

After that, it is the aforementioned East Lancashire derby between Blackburn and Burnley at Turf Moor, in the final game before the international break.

When they return to action, John Eustace's side will host Bristol City, who finished 11th in the Championship last season, on Saturday 14th September.

Burnley's first five 2024/25 fixtures

Burnley also begin the season in front of the Sky Sports cameras, when they travel to Kenilworth Road to face Luton Town, another of last season's relegated Premier League sides, on Monday 12th August.

The Clarets' first home game comes on Saturday 17th August, when Cardiff City, who finished 12th in the second tier last season, make the trip to Turf Moor.

Next up for Burnley is a trip to Sunderland - who recently appointed former Lorient boss Regis Le Bris as their new manager - on Saturday 24th August.

Then there is the derby when Blackburn travel to Turf Moor at the end of August, before the Clarets - who are still searching for Vincent Kompany's replacement as manager - return after the international on Saturday 14th September.

That sees them face a tough assignment, as they travel to Elland Road to face last season's beaten Championship play-off finalists, Leeds United.

Clarets have tougher openers

It could be argued that the fixtures to come for Burnley to open the campaign are more challenging than those that Blackburn face.

Aside from the derby between the two, the Clarets have away trips to two sides who will surely be genuine promotion contenders this season in Luton and Leeds.

Sunderland could be an unknown quantity following the appointment of Le Bris, while Cardiff showed last season they are capable of taking points even off those chasing promotion.

Blackburn meanwhile, may see home games against two promoted sides still finding their feet in the division as an opportunity to get points on the board.

It may, however, be argued that it was those games where they were expected to do well that saw them struggle more at times last season.

Meanwhile, Norwich away and Bristol City at home could be challenging fixtures, though Rovers may take some heart from the fact they picked up maximum points from those two games last season, even if plenty has changed since then.

Blackburn and Burnley set for early encounters

As has already been mentioned, these two rivals will go head-to-head early on in the campaign, meeting at Turf Murf on matchday four at the end of August.

The reverse fixture comes shortly after the turn of the year, with Blackburn scheduled to host Burnley at Ewood Park on Saturday 4th January.