Italy forward Ciro Immobile has called on his team-mates to run up a big score against Liechtenstein to improve their chances of topping World Cup qualifying Group G ahead of Spain.

Italy go into the game with Liechtenstein in Udine level on 13 points with Spain but with an inferior goal difference and Lazio striker Immobile knows the visit of the group’s bottom team represents a great chance to narrow that gap.

Spain were 8-0 victors when they played host to Liechtenstein last September - which is the goal difference advantage the 2010 World Cup winners currently hold over the Italians.

Italy coach Gian Piero Ventura has announced his intention to play with an attacking formation in a bid to score freely, and Immobile says the players are determined to be on top form.

Immobile told the Italian federation website: “Ventura has announced that we will play with a 4-2-4 and he’s asked us to win and prepare well as we did for the previous meeting when we scored four in half an hour, even if we stopped after that.

“There’s pressure and that’s right for a team such as Italy. We’re professionals and we’ll give our best.

“To qualify for a World Cup is an extremely important thing, we have to find the energy to approach this match at 100 per cent.”

Immobile was one of the scorers as Italy won 4-0 when the sides met in Vaduz last November - all four goals coming in the first half - and he will be hoping to be on target again in Udine as the Azzurri look towards September’s Madrid showdown with Spain which is likely to determine the group’s automatic qualifier for Russia 2018.

The 27-year-old striker believes his country’s chances could also be improved by Macedonia, who play host to Spain tonight.

“Macedonia are a tough team at home, we saw that the hard way,” added Immobile, referring to Italy’s narrow 3-2 win against the same opposition in Skopje in October.

With a goal difference of minus 18 and without a point to their name anything less than a thrashing would represent a good result for Liechtenstein.

They will be buoyed by a 1-1 friendly draw away to Finland on Wednesday which came courtesy of FC Vaduz striker Nicolas Hasler’s 68th-minute equaliser.