Diouf accuses Warnock of lying

BLACKBURN forward El-Hadji Diouf has hit back at QPR boss Neil Warnock over claims the Senegal international taunted a player lying injured with a broken leg.

Warnock alleged that Diouf verbally abused Rangers striker Jamie Mackie as he awaited a stretcher following a clash with Gael Givet in last Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie at Ewood Park.

Warnock said calling Diouf a sewer rat “might be insulting to sewer rats” in an astonishing attack on the former Liverpool and Bolton player.

Diouf, 30, has been no stranger to controversy during his time in England but has strenuously denied Warnock’s claims.

Diouf said: “I am very sorry for the lad to have broken his leg, the QPR player. But what Warnock said — I never said that.

“After the game I argued with some players, that’s it.

“When the lad broke his leg, I never said anything back to him.

“I never talked to him, you can ask Benjani or Ryan Nelsen.

“Everything Warnock said is not right.”

Diouf also turned his fire on Warnock himself, claiming he is not one of the game’s best managers.

He said: “I am not disappointed with what Warnock said — who is Warnock? He is nothing to me.

“He is not Alex Ferguson, he is not Arsene Wenger, he is not Sam Allardyce or an important manager.”

Meanwhile West Brom goalkeeper Scott Carson has been left out of the starting line-up for the visit of Blackpool tomorrow, manager Roberto Di Matteo has confirmed.

Boaz Myhill will instead be given a chance to impress in what will be his first Barclays Premier League start of the season following his summer transfer from Hull.

Myhill was named in the starting line-up for last weekend’s FA Cup third-round tie against Reading.

And although the Baggies were beaten 1-0, the former Hull player did enough to keep his place in the side this weekend, with Carson also handing the captain’s armband over to Chris Brunt. “I’ve decided I’m going to give Boaz Myhill a chance on Saturday,” Di Matteo said.