Malta coach Pietro Ghedin has not set his team a specific target for tomorrow's eagerly-awaited 2018 World Cup Group F qualifier against England (kick-off 6pm), insisting that his priority is for the team to leave the Wembley Stadium with their heads held high.

"We are striving to improve our level of performance in every game," Ghedin told reporters at the Wembley Stadium before Malta's official training session.

"This is not easy when you are facing strong teams like England. It's very important that we play in the right way.

"We need to avoid mistakes. We lost 5-1 to Scotland in our opening game and we need to make up for that defeat. We gave away three to four goals against Scotland and we can't do that against England.

"England want to win and it will be difficult to stop them. We will play in a fair way and play our game."

Ghedin has already met England in his coaching career when he was part of Italy's technical staff.

Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FAPhoto: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FA

"We played twice in England when I was assistant coach with Italy," Ghedin said.

"And we won both games, 1-0 at Wembley with a goal from (Gianfranco) Zola and 2-1 when we played at the Leeds stadium."

"So you have a perfect record against England," an English journalist pointed out.

"Yes but the record is incomplete as you need three wins," Ghedin joked.

Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FAPhoto: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FA

The Malta coach must make two changes from the Scotland game as defender Jonathan Caruana and winger Luke Gambin are suspended.

Ghedin said he has doubts over one player, thought to be Clayton Failla, but otherwise all the other players in his 21-man squad are fit.

Midfielder Roderick Briffa is ruled out with a knee injury.

Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FAPhoto: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FA

Ghedin was inevitably asked about the circumstances that led to Sam Allardyce's dismissal last month after he made a series of controversial remarks about a variety of subjects.

"I met Sam Allardyce at a UEFA coaching meeting in France last month," Ghedin said.

"He is a nice man. I read that Allarydce has said sorry for his comments. He made a mistake but no-one is perfect."

Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FAPhoto: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FA

Ghedin doesn't expect a massive change in England's approach as interim manager Gareth Southgate has had little time to work with the team.

Despite England's poor record in international football, Ghedin declared himself an admirer of English football, especially their excellent organisation.

"England have produced some really strong players in the last 20 years but they haven't won anything," he said.

Photo: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FAPhoto: Paul Zammit Cutajar, Malta FA

"I don't know why. Maybe England need to win a World Cup or European Championship to start fulfilling their potential."

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