A report in last Monday’s Daily Express under the heading ‘Malteser getting taste for England’, said that Mifsud was so keen to impress at Coventry that he was getting to training an hour early every day.

The short report on Coventry’s 4-1 Championship win against Barnsley on Saturday, in which Mifsud claimed the second goal for his side, said that the Maltese striker’s ‘early training sessions are paying off for Coventry and he destroyed Barnsley with a superb display.’

Mifsud’s goal in that match was his first at the Ricoh Arena since he joined Coventry in January. “I wondered if my goal was going to come when I hit the post twice. I’ve played in Germany and Norway for the last three years but football here is very quick and more physical. I had to play a few games to get used to it but now I love it here. I’ve even been getting into training early,” Mifsud was quoted as saying.

Barnsley midfielder Martin Devaney said he had not heard of Michael Mifsud until they played at the Ricoh Arena. “Mifsud just runs at you all the time. He was very good,” he said.