Exclusive by Phil McNulty Chief football writer

Diouf has adapted well Gerard Houllier

Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier has jumped to the defence of a trio of under-fire Anfield imports.

Houllier spent �18m last summer signing Senegal pair El-Hadji Diouf and Salif Diao - plus French midfield man Bruno Cheyrou.

The treble signing came under increasing criticism as Liverpool's season ended without a Champions League place.

Diouf performed fitfully, and was at the centre of controversy for spitting at Celtic fans during their Uefa Cup tie at Parkhead.

And Cheyrou, signed from Lille, has admitted he fears for his own Liverpool future after confessing he struggled to come to terms with the Premiership.

But in an exclusive interview with this website, Houllier declared his faith in the trio and insisted they will come good.

He said: "I still have faith in these players. I think they will be good signings for Liverpool."

Houllier admitted he may have played Diouf and Diao too much following their exertions in the African Nations Cup.

He said: "Perhaps I should have taken this into account because they had had a very long and gruelling season.

"Diao and Diouf played in the African Nations Cup in February and then the World Cup in June.

"It would be like asking Michael Owen or Steven Gerrard to play the European Championships in February and then the World Cup in the summer.

"Everybody would say that was crazy, a scandalous programme to inflict on them.

"And they played all the way in the African Nations Cup in the heat and had a hard season with their clubs.

"If you then take into account that they had a very successful and quite long World Cup campaign with Senegal, I think maybe I should have been more careful with them.

"Buty Diouf adapted well as the season went on. He scored six goals and had eight assists. He is also very young and will improve.

"Diao did well when he played, especially in the derby at Everton when we won after he came on as substitute.

"He was off the pace in our last game when we lost at Chelsea, but overall I felt he did well given the number of games he had played and the adjustment he has to make to the Premiership.

"Bruno Cheyrou was unlucky because he was injured in November for six weeks, but he showed at times he has the quality.

"He has got the skill and the eye and he just needs to come to terms with the physicality of the English game. I have total faith in Bruno."