THEY last played together 17 years ago, but El Hadji Diouf still could not resist another pop at Steven Gerrard when quizzed on England’s last-16 clash with Senegal.
Gerrard and Diouf famously did not like each other during their three seasons together at Liverpool back in the early 2000s.
Reds icon Gerrard wrote in his 2007 autobiography that he was “not Diouf’s No1 fan” and was “only interested in himself”.
Diouf hit back claiming that there is “nobody more egotistical than Gerrard”.
The forward, who went on to play for five other English teams including Bolton and Leeds, later branded the Three Lions centurion a “brown-noser”.
Diouf, 41, is now a special advisor to the Lions of Teranga, who face Gareth Southgate’s side at the Al Bayt Stadium on Sunday.
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And when asked about any weaknesses he feels the England team may have, given his experience of playing on our shores, Diouf brought up Gerrard once again, referencing his relationship with fellow midfielder Frank Lampard.
Diouf said: “My time in English football was different because (now) they all copy, the national team as well, Pep Guardiola and Man City.
“They play the same way, they want to have the ball and score a lot of goals and play tiki-taka football.
“Players can do it as well, they have a good team and a very good team spirit as well.
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“It’s not like Stevie G and (Frank) Lampard time – the two of them, they don’t like each other.
“It’s about team spirit and Gareth Southgate did a great job.”
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Diouf joined Liverpool in 2002 off the back of his success with Senegal at the 2002 World Cup.
They beat reigning champions France in their opener and went all the way to the quarter-final, losing to a golden goal against Turkey.
And Diouf feels if Gareth Southgate’s side underestimate Senegal like the French did 20 years ago, then Aliou Cisse’s side could pull off a shock.
He said: “It reminds me of when we played against France. They thought they’d won the game before they played it. If England do the same thing on Sunday, this is good for us.
“I know we are not the favourite but we are going to do everything to beat them and the players can do it.”
Diouf struggled at Liverpool but made more of an impact at Bolton, where he worked under former England manager Sam Allardyce.
While he was also signed for Leeds by Neil Warnock, despite the then Whites boss previously comparing Diouf to a “sewer rat”.
Yet Diouf clearly has a great relationship still with both former bosses, revealing he has invited both to Sunday’s clash.
He said: “Everyone knows Sam is a part of my family, and Neil Warnock, the two great managers I know in England.
“I love them and I would like to invite them to watch this game as well. Sam can’t come, because he has to go to Phuket with his wife, but Neil is going to try.”
With Sunday being a knockout game, a penalty shootout remains an ominous possibility if the scores are tied after extra-time.
The thought of that is enough to send chills down the spine of any Englishman.
But Diouf has supreme confidence in his side if it goes to spot-kicks, given their successes earlier this year in that format.
Senegal won the African Cup of Nations in February and their World Cup play-off to qualify for finals a month later, both against Mo Salah’s Egypt, on a shootout.
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Diouf added: “If we get to penalties, we’re going to win it. Easy.
“I know the goalkeeper we’ve got (Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy) and I know we can stop some of their penalties.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
