“In my mind no-one can ever be more desperate than us for points," says Burnley boss Vincent Kompany, ahead of derby with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park

With plenty riding on the clash at Ewood Park - for both teams - the Burnley boss is ready to embrace the fixture's added spice.

The Clarets can wrap up the Championship title at the home of their fiercest rivals, while Blackburn Rovers still have a chance of sneaking into the top six.

The Manchester City legend, who picked up the Manager of the Season gong at the EFL Awards, said: “For the fans, derby games are like trophies of their own, so everything around it I think is fine for the game to be hyped up, but I think from our side it’s important to treat it as we’ve treated every game so far and that’s the reason why we’re here.

“That’s key. I think I like derbies because I think they give something, like winning trophies is only for the very few, so for the rest of us these games are the trophies you can win so I’m completely comfortable with all the extra drama and hype that comes with those games.

"That's inevitable [an extra buzz], it's everywhere. It's not necessarily the days just before a derby, it can be months before. That's what makes it so special.

"Experience tells me that you have to embrace the hype and drama that comes with it, but still be able to distance yourself, because your energy is best spent at that moment when the referee blows his whistle. That's when you've got to burn that energy."

The league leaders came out on top at Turf Moor in November, prior to the World Cup in Qatar, as Ashley Barnes's double and an Anass Zaroury finish secured a 3-0 victory.

The two were bidding for top spot at the time, but a fifth win on the bounce against Rovers ignited a 22-game unbeaten run in the second tier, and now the chasm between them stands at 27 points.

With Jon Dahl Tomasson's side on the fringes of the play-offs - mirroring sixth place Sunderland's points total while carrying a slightly inferior goal difference - it certainly adds fuel to the fire.

However, Kompany is encouraging his players to ignore the additional storylines around the meeting, and focus on getting their preparation and performance on point.

“In my mind no-one can ever be more desperate than us for points," said the 37-year-old.

"I think it’s one of the beautiful things in the game, but for us as the professionals who have to do the work, it’s so important to distance ourselves from it.

"We've got to stay calm and that passion and extra little bit of something always comes out at the right time. But you have to get your preparation right and that’s what we focus on.”

"Those are the hypotheticals. It's completely true and that's what is floating over that game, but these types of fixtures are high stakes and high rewards."

He continued: "I want to approach the game in a manner where we feel confident that we've prepared the best we could, then on the day you have to trust the players and give them the energy they need.

"Sometimes you can't force it, sometimes it is just experience and time, and confronting these situations more than once. You see players progress in these moments, but the game is tomorrow so it is what it is.

"We have to be at our best, but we have to be at our best every game, which is what we've said all season. It's still our mission."