'No red cards' - Tuchel wary of World Cup bans

England played Albania in Thomas Tuchel's first game in charge

England manager Thomas Tuchel has told his players to avoid any needless red cards that could mean a World Cup ban.

Cristiano Ronaldo's red card in Portugal's defeat by the Republic of Ireland on Thursday means he will miss the start of their World Cup campaign if they qualify automatically.

England finish their qualifying campaign against Albania on Sunday.

"No red cards please," he said. "It is important. I'm aware of it and we will talk about it."

England secured qualification to next year's tournament with two games to spare and face an Albania side who have guaranteed a place in the play-offs regardless of Sunday's result.

England have a 100% record with seven wins from seven in qualifying and, when asked if he would rather risk losing the game than getting a player sent off, Tuchel said: "It is an extreme example.

"If he goes in the last man example and if we can avoid it, no red card of course.

"I don't want to make the subject too big speaking about it because then you have a cloud above you.

"Normally we are not at risk anyway, but if someone has a choice to make, don't do it."

'I hope hunger to win is bigger than fear of losing'

England have scored 20 goals without conceding in qualifying and if they beat Albania and keep a clean sheet they will become the first European side to play at least six qualifiers and win them all without conceding.

But Tuchel said he has not spoken to his players about the record they could set and his only focus is to continue building towards the World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.

"I didn't speak a single word about that," Tuchel said when asked if he was using the possible achievement as motivation going into England's final qualifier.

"We need to get the foundation right to have a chance to have these records.

"Just by thinking about it or by talking about it, nothing will change.

"We need to deliver again. The feeling and the trust is absolutely there because I witnessed this in camp. I trust my players to perform again."

The match against Albania is the last that England will play this year and will mean there is only one more international break before Tuchel names his squad for the World Cup.

And he wants his side to deliver a performance that shows the developments made since he officially took charge in January.

"In general I just hope and I feel the hunger for us to win, and to achieve something is bigger than the fear of losing and the fear of maybe losing a record of clean sheets," Tuchel said.

"These things just happen. We are well aware that we put a lot of effort in to defend as a team and it's only possible to have so many clean sheets because we defend properly as a team, which is the case, but you also need a bit of luck in certain moments.

"We should not focus too much on what we have to lose. We should be more excited about the next possibility to show our quality and to have another exciting and intense match."

Captain Harry Kane said remaining unbeaten without conceding provides extra motivation for players.

"The last game in an England shirt for the year is always important to win for momentum," he said.

"We also know we have qualified and Albania are into the play-offs, but we still have not conceded and I think that is a great motivation.

"Not conceding any goals through the campaign would be special motivation.

"It is also about reaching our level, and if we do we feel we can beat any team in the world."