Thomas Tuchel has urged his England team to "play with a smile" in their international friendly against Senegal at the City Ground on Tuesday. 

Tuchel was openly critical of the Three Lions' display in their 1-0 win over Andorra in a World Cup qualifier last Saturday, with Harry Kane's second-half goal the difference. 

The former Chelsea boss bemoaned his team's attitude in the closing stages of that game, but the result saw Tuchel stay perfect from his three matches at the helm. 

Indeed, Tuchel became the fifth manager to win each of his first three competitive games in charge of England, but the first to do so without conceding a single goal. 

He is looking to become the third England boss to win their first four games in charge, something only Walter Winterbottom and Sven-Goran Eriksson have done.

And the German has encouraged his team to play as they train against Senegal, handing them the freedom to express themselves in the encounter. 

"I see us train with a smile, but not play with a smile," Tuchel said.

"We need to improve, for sure. We need to improve in connections, in support, in interactions in the group. I feel we are too isolated on the pitch. We have not clicked yet.

"We have a lot of positives to take away in training and in the sessions I see a lot of them, and it will obviously take a little bit to translate it to the pitch."

England have never lost in 21 matches against African opposition (W15 D6), winning their only previous meeting with Senegal 3-0 in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Three Lions have won their last six matches in all competitions, keeping a clean sheet in each of the last five – they've never previously won six in a row without conceding.

But they face a Senegal side who are unbeaten in their last 23 matches in all competitions (W16 D7) since a 1-0 friendly loss to Algeria in September 2023.

"The best thing is to focus on the principles of the game, to give clear instructions to the players, [on] what we expect from them in their role," Tuchel added. 

"And then they forget about the shirt and how heavy it is.

"They [can be] free in the role and they know what to do, that they have people around with whom it is easy for them to connect. And then just go for it."