El Hadji Malick Diouf has been one of very few positives for West Ham United in the opening weeks of the new Premier League season.
Though it goes without saying that he still has a long old way to go if he is to take the same path towards superstardom as a former Liverpool talisman.
Heading into matchday nine, El Hadji Malick Diouf is still ranked joint-second across the whole of the Premier League. His tally of three assists is bettered only by Jack Grealish and former West Ham United winger Mohammed Kudus
Diouf could emulate Jarrod Bowen and Paolo di Canio if he maintains his impressive start to life in English football. Bowen and Di Canio are the only two Hammers to reach double figures for assists this side of the century.
Sadio Mane, across highly successful spells at Southampton and Liverpool, tallied 43. In terms of ‘goal contributions’, the Senegal legend exceeded 150 during his time in the Premier League.
And speaking after Diouf and Mane both helped Senegal secure their place at the 2026 World Cup, the former opens up on the useful piece of advice given to him by the latter.
West Ham United’s Malick Diouf shares what Liverpool icon Sadio Mane told him
Diouf, still only 20 years of age, grew up watching Mane take the Premier League by storm.
One third of an elite forward line including Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah under the stewardship of Jurgen Klopp. He now has the luxury of learning off Mane first-hand on the international stage, hanging onto the veteran’s every word.
“My parents and my agent [helped me with my mentality]. They can talk to me and tell me ‘do this’, but it’s about me. If I choose to do it, I will do it. I have a big mentality,” Diouf tells the official West Ham website.
“Sadio Mane told me the same, that ‘I know your quality, but I don’t know your mentality. If you are strong here [in the mind], you’ll be a really good player’.
“It’s difficult, but maybe I can say Sadio Mane [is my role model] because he helped a lot of families in Senegal,” the left-back adds. “He gave us a lot of experience and said, ‘if you have something, you have to help the poor people’, so he made it great in Senegal.
“Everyone loves him. I think he’s the big example for us as young players.
“I have to work first to represent myself as not a bad person, but to give them a good example. The world is difficult now, but I am a normal person and I don’t know if people want to be like me. I’m young and can’t say I’m a role model, but maybe in the future I can be like Sadio Mane.
“Ask me again in the future!
“I think it is the good way to help not only the family, but in your city, so you can help a lot of people. They told me, ‘you have the talent. So, if you want to be a footballer, you have to work and work hard’. I have a lot of friends and every time they’re talking to me about that. I think it was only to help the family to be comfortable.
“I love football, I have the passion and I was thinking ‘I can make it’, so today I’m proud.”
Tony Cottee sends warning to Nuno Espirito Santo ahead of Leeds clash
Diouf was surprisingly left out by Nuno Espirito Santo during Monday’s 2-0 home defeat by Brentford. He is expected to return against Leeds United at Elland Road, though.
The Hammers boss was quick to accept that his experimental line-up did not have the desired results against Keith Andrews’ side, introducing Diouf at half-time and completely re-structuring his formation.
Upton Park legend Tony Cottee is urging Nuno to go back to basics away to a Leeds team already four points ahead in the table.
“No centre-forward again, [Jean-Clair] Todibo at centre-half, no Diouf…” Cottee said on Monday.
“Message to Nuno; Football is a simple game. Play your best players in their best positions! Really poor performance but the team selection was awful.
“Things need to be sorted out and quickly.”
