Stoke City midfielder Salif Diao holds no grudge against Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard.

Gerrard was bemoaning the state of Liverpool in his 2007 autobiography when he cited Diao's signing, after the 2002 World Cup, as an example of their demise.

But Diao told The Sentinel: "I don't feel hurt. If he talks about me in his autobiography I must be important to him.

"I don't know why he mentions me. If I was writing an autobiography, I would talk about my life and how I got to where I am.

"I wouldn't talk about football. Not who got subbed, or this and that.

"Why didn't he have the guts to say that to my face? That's life.

"But there isn't a grudge. When we see each other, we say hello and 'how is the family?'

"I respect people's opinions, but it doesn't mean he's right."