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England is facing Senegal in a friendly at Nottingham's City Ground tonight, but former Liverpool ace Sadio Mane will be notably absent after requesting to step away from international duty due to severe criticism and online abuse.

His most recent appearance for Senegal was in March's World Cup qualifiers against Sudan and Togo, where despite starting both matches, Mane did not score and subsequently expressed frustration over the negative remarks directed towards him post-match.

Reflecting on the ordeal, Mane said: "A lot is said about me and I think I'm the most criticised player in Senegal.



But there must be better things to do than criticise Sadio Mane.

Sadio is a very important player for us."

Thiaw added that he prioritises the collective effort of the team, saying: "But I don't coach one player, I coach 26 players, and so the most important thing is the collective

Sadio Mane won't be involved when Senegal take on England in a friendly tonight

Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise, both for him and for us.

"We hope to have him back in top form for future matches, but this is a great opportunity for others to show themselves.

"The most important thing is that Sadio is there and ready for the big events to come."