Blackburn claimed the local bragging rights over their fierce rivals Burnley with a 3-2 victory at Ewood Park in the first top-flight meeting of the clubs for 43 years.

It was a comfortable victory as well after an early scare when Robbie Blake made the breakthrough after five minutes.

However the home side effectively sealed the points before half-time thanks to goals from the in-form David Dunn, Franco di Santo and Pascal Chimbonda.

Substitute Chris Eagles scored a second for Burnley in stoppage time but they have now lost five successive games on the road in the Premier League this season.

Blackburn's win gave their manager Sam Allardyce an early birthday present as he is 55 on Monday.

In Sunday's other game, 10-man Manchester City needed a brilliant late save from goalkeeper Shay Given to take a point from a 1-1 draw against Wigan at the DW Stadium.

The dismissal of full-back Pablo Zabaleta for two bookable offences by referee Alan Wiley, in his first outing since his fitness was questioned by Sir Alex Ferguson, condemned the Blues to a difficult last 25 minutes.

And Hugo Rodallega thought he has profited with a close-range volley a minute from time, only for Given to deny him.

Charles N'Zogbia put the hosts in front in the first half before Martin Petrov levelled at the start of the second period.