Theo Walcott has insisted that England's players will not be afraid to speak up if the team are not performing well enough.

Gareth Southgate will take charge of his first match as interim manager at Wembley on Saturday as Malta visit the capital for a World Cup qualifier.

Questions have been raised as to whether Southgate has the "nasty streak" many believe is necessary in international management, but Walcott stressed that it was down to the players to show that too.

"We haven't really seen it yet," Walcott told reporters.

"As long as we perform well hopefully we won't see it, but if everyone's not completely ready then that side of us will have to come out.

"It comes from the players as well. There are a lot of leaders in that dressing room and if someone's not doing something right then we won't be afraid to tell them."

Southgate has confirmed that Walcott, who missed out on a place in Roy Hodgson's squad for Euro 2016, will start against Malta.