Sadio Mane is hoping to continue his impressive international form tomorrow night – even though it may ultimately come at the expense of Saints.

The lively winger, a £10m summer signing, has made a good start to life at St Mary’s as he settles into the world of the Premier League.

He is back representing his country, Senegal, as they attempt to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Senegal currently lead Group G after two wins from their opening two fixtures and could seal qualification with victory over Tunisia, who also have six points from their opening games, when the sides meet at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor in Dakar. It would be great news for Mane and his nation, who were banned from the 2013 competition after a riot that occurred during a play-off game against the Ivory Coast that forced the fixture to be abandoned.

They are in pole position to make the 2015 edition of the tournament, but that would mean Saints would lose Mane early next year, possibly for an entire month, with the tournament running from January 17 until February 8 in Morocco.

That would come as a significant blow to Saints at an important time of the season.

Mane has been in fine form for Senegal, scoring in both of the qualification games so far, but his nation face a tough week.

They are facing Tunisia home and away in back-to-back game during this international break with the squad hit by injuries to some of their best players.

Stoke’s Mame Biram Diouf, Bordeaux captain Lamine Sane and West Ham’s Cheickhou Kouyate have already been ruled out of the fixtures through injury.

Saints also face the possibility of losing another player to the Africa Cup of Nations in the shape of Emmanuel Mayuka.

Though he has yet to be used by Ronald Koeman this season, he has continued to be an option on the bench for Saints.

His country, Zambia, face an international break that will be vital to their chances as they face home and away matches against Group F minnows Niger.

Zambia have taken one point from their first two fixtures, and face back-to-back games they will have to make the most of if they are to get through.

The top two teams in the group, Cape Verde and Mozambique, face each other home and away, meaning if Zambia could bag a couple of wins the table will look far healthier and give Mayuka’s men the chance to progress with a good final flurry to the campaign.

Saints though will not lose their third African player, Victor Wanyama, as Kenya were eliminated before the group stages.