Former Liverpool star Danny Murphy has provided his view on the feud between Steven Gerrard and El Hadji Diouf.
Diouf has often aimed digs at Liverpool legend Gerrard ever since his spell at Anfield came to an end in the summer of 2005 after scoring just six goals in 79 appearances for the club. The former Reds skipper also referenced the Senegal striker in his 2007 autobiography.
And now Murphy, who played alongside the pair for the Reds, has explained how the pair were toward each other behind the scenes.
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“I don't think it was from the word go,” Murphy told Lord Ping . “Things happen during times with different players where you rub each other up the wrong way.
“At the beginning, it was fine. Stevie was as welcoming to new players as everyone else. There were a few bust-ups in dressing rooms after certain games.
“Although they didn't get on, I had a brief fallout with Diouf myself and we sorted it out, no problem. It didn't really affect what we were doing on the pitch.
“People talked about Andy Cole and (Teddy) Sheringham at United having this dislike for each year but their relationship on the pitch was phenomenal. So it didn't affect what we were trying to do.
“I think Diouf didn't help himself a lot of the time. You know, some of the things he did that have been well publicised, you do those sorts of things you are going to rub people up the wrong way.
“Steven was very passionate as he became captain and captains sometimes have to say and deal with things more differently than the normal players. So he put himself in the way of it and then stood up for what he believed and actually in the end, Diouf left without really making a great impact.
“The overriding feeling was that (Gerard) Houllier should have signed (Nicolas) Anelka from the loan rather than Diouf and the players felt it at the time. Diouf’s time was marred by some of the things he did off the pitch, but it wasn't so bad that it caused problems on the pitch. Players not liking each other is more normal than you think.”
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