England sit top of Group 6 after away wins over Austria (2-0) and Poland (3-1), with strikers Carlton Cole and Darren Bent scoring all five goals between them.

Taylor said: "We have got off to a great start in the group and we need to keep the momentum going against Wales.

"We know it will be a tough match but we have squad full of both talent and character. I’m sure the fans will turn out in force to cheer us on and create a great atmosphere."

Ewood Park is a ground with good memories for the Under-21s.

Three years ago, almost 30,000 fans saw David Platt’s men seal a vital and dramatic victory over Greece which saw them top their European Championship qualification group and progress to the play-offs.

Rovers’ David Dunn was captain on the night and with Jonathan Stead now occupying a similarly key role, the omens are good for another memorable night.

England have played Wales three times at Under-21s level, winning once and drawing twice. The last encounter was a 0-0 draw at Tranmere Rovers in December 1990.

After the Wales encounter, which will kick-off at 8pm, England take on Azerbaijan on Tuesday 12 October.