GH: Diao can be the new Vieira

When El-Hadji Diouf and Salif Diao signed for Liverpool in the summer, all the talk was of Diouf after his talismanic performance against France in the World Cup. Diao was pushed aside; his signing wasn't even supposed to be completed until December. However that signing was brought forward and despite being played out of position against Valencia, on Saturday at Elland Road he showed promise and scored the winner.

Diao comes highly recommended and it was a French football legend that advised Houllier to have a look at him while he was at Sedan. Houllier said: "He was one of the best players there and even Michel Platini said to me, 'You have to look at him'."

The goal he scored at the World Cup Finals against Denmark was the first chance many people had seen of Diao. Houllier said of Diao: "He has the same qualities as Patrick Vieira. He's an intelligent lad and great in the dressing room. One of our scouts told us about him so I went to see him play."

Diao was a product of the Monaco-sponsored Aldo Gentina academy in Dakar. He played at Monaco before getting some experience on loan at Epinal. Houllier recounts: "The funny thing was that Monaco played against Epinal and the chairman said, 'Who is this Diao? We have to buy him'. He was told, 'We don't have to, he already plays for us.'"

Houllier doesn?t think it will be long before Diao settles into the Liverpool squad even though for this season at least, Diao will be covering for the Hamann-Gerrard partnership. Houllier added: "The movement of the game in England is different, it has more pace and more aggression and Salif needs to get used to that."