Diao desperate to prove critics wrong

The combatative midfielder insists that he and fellow Senegal star El-Hadji Diouf can silence the growing critics amongst the Anfield faithful who would be only too happy to see both exit the club before the new campaign.

Diao, speaking to the club's official website, said: "I want to prove to the fans and to the people at the club that the things they have been saying about me and Dioufy aren't right. We've been called flops and other things which aren't very nice.

"Dioufy and I have spoken about what has been said and written and the only way to answer the criticism is on the pitch. I'm sure if I was a fan on the terraces then I would think the same way as they do because we haven't done it regularly enough for Liverpool. It's good to know what people think and if the view is that we are flops then it's up to us to prove them wrong. Criticism is part of football life and, while it's not nice, you have to learn to live with it and respond in the right way."