RUSSELL Martin is targeting an improved display from Scotland when they face Euro 2016 hosts France in Metz this Saturday (8pm).

City’s captain, along with club and international teammate Steven Naismith, will wrap up the season with a tough-looking friendly against the bookies’ favourites to win this summer’s tournament.

Gordon Strachan’s side, who failed to qualify, lost 1-0 to Italy in Malta on Sunday – leaving Martin pondering which areas he feels they can make strides in ahead of their qualification campaign for the 2018 World Cup.

“We need to try to impose our own game a little bit more than we did on Sunday in terms of getting on the ball, movement and keeping the ball a bit better then hopefully getting a few chances ourselves,” said the 30-year-old.

“It’s going to be a great atmosphere, they have sold it out and it will be a little taster of what the atmosphere is going to be like at the Euros. So we need to be at it from the start and we know that.

“We will go there and we will have a go. It will be an extremely tough game and we need to take into account who we are playing against.

“But hopefully on Saturday we put on a better show with the ball and keep that spirit and doggedness without it.”

Martin insists the challenge of facing up to the French is exactly what they need, adding: “These are the teams you want to be testing yourselves against because once the qualifiers come around, we are going to be playing against teams of this calibre and we need to make sure we have got a chance of qualifying for the World Cup.

“I know we have not qualified but these teams are gearing up for the European Championship and we are playing against top teams.

“So we have to be up and at it or else we are going to be on the receiving end of some wrong results.”

For the latest on how City's players are faring on international duty, click HERE.

INTERNATIONALS: MARTIN ON FACING EURO HOSTS

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