New boy Diouf calls for more 'aggression' at Sunderland

El Hadji Diouf has made an immediate impact at Sunderland, impressing locals with his vigour and skill in Sunday's friendly against Ajax and supporters are sure to be encouraged further by what Diouf had to say after the game, which Sunderland lost 1-0.

"I have been in the Premier League a long time, and have been with Bolton a long time, and I can tell you now: this team will do something next season," Diouf said of his new club. "We have a better team than the team I have left, Bolton."

There was then the sort of warning that will please Diouf's new manager, Roy Keane. "We have a lot of talent, yes, but we need to be more focused and we need to have more desire on the pitch, too. I have said to the lads: 'We need to be more aggressive and play more forward, attacking football and go at teams too, because we have a good side. We need to believe in ourselves – we are a good team.'

"Maybe it is true that sometimes this team had too much respect for the 'big teams' like Manchester United and Liverpool. But let me tell you, this year we don't have anything to prove against those teams. We don't have to fear anyone or have respect for anyone, we just need to believe in ourselves."