Sheffield United: If England versus Senegal goes to penalties, Iliman Ndiaye will definitely volunteer

But if England’s World Cup clash against Senegal on Sunday does go to penalties, you suspect Sheffield United’s Iliman Ndiaye will volunteer to take one for the reigning African champions. After all, when Aliou Cisse’s side were awarded a spot-kick during this week’s victory over Ecuador, a game which secured their qualification from Group A and saw Ndiaye confirm his status as one of the tournament’s breakthrough talents, the 22-year-old immediately grabbed the ball before surrendering to Ismaila Sarr’s seniority.

Senegal lifted the AFCON trophy via a shoot-out in February and, should they be required to enter another, El Hadji Diouf is confident of prevailing again.

“We are always going to win on penalties,” the former Liverpool striker, now a member of Cisse’s backroom staff, said; citing the presence of Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy in goal. “Easy. I know the goalkeeper we’ve got and I know we can stop some of their penalties.”

After sitting out Senegal’s first match in Qatar - a 2-0 defeat by Holland - Ndiaye has been a revelation since being introduced during the closing stages of their meeting with the host nation. Claiming an assist as Cisse’s men put Felix Sanchez’s team to the sword, Ndiaye then started his country’s meeting with the South Americans; helping to lay the foundations for a deserved 2-1 win.

After Sarr had broken the deadlock, Kalidou Koulibaly, Mendy’s colleague at Stamford Bridge, restored the Senegalese’s advantage and set up the clash with England.

Although Ndiaye and Watford forward Sarr are both attached to Championship clubs, Diouf said: “Really, they are Premier League players. It is for them to show how good they are.”

“It is a wonderful draw,” he added. “Who would not want to play this game? The players are excited. Talking to the boys, it is about big players, big games. England have a good team, good players. I know we are not going to be the favourites but we are going to do everything to beat them and the players can do it.”