UEFA CUP: Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier yesterday revealed he will drop El Hadji Diouf from the UEFA Cup quarter-final second leg against Celtic on Thursday because the match needs "a sense of serenity".

The Senegal striker has been fined two weeks' wages by the club after appearing to spit at supporters in the first leg at Parkhead, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

UEFA are looking into the incident and are expected to reach a decision either today or tomorrow.

Houllier said: "I don't think it will be right to play Diouf against Celtic. We need a sense of serenity around this game. I have told the player and he understands the situation. It will be better for him not to play.

"I think there would be too much pressure put on him if he played in this match, and we need to remember he is still a young boy.

"He can cope with it, but it would take too much attention away from the game to play him." Houllier is outraged at suggestions Diouf should be kicked out of Anfield.

"There are those who should know this club better who are saying he should never play for Liverpool again. I have to say I'm gutted by these comments."

"We are talking about a player of just 22. He has done wrong, we acknowledge that and he's been punished, but is there no such thing as forgiveness?

"When a member of your family does wrong, do you throw him out of your house? Of course you don't.

"You talk to him, make him understand his mistake and ensure it never happens again. Some of the treatment he's getting is out of order. "

Meanwhile, Mauricio Taricco has tried to put an end to his bust-up with Houllier. The Tottenham defender was verbally assaulted by Houllier in the tunnel at half-time during Sunday's Premiership clash at White Hart Lane, which the Liverpool won 3-2.

Houllier accused the Argentinian of trying to provoke into getting Diouf sent off.

However, Taricco - himself at the centre of similar allegations recently from West Ham's Glen Johnson, who accused the defender of "acting like a little girl" - claimed he wanted to put a lid on the incident.

"I play football, that's all," he said. "Once the game is over, whatever happens on the pitch is dead and buried as far as I am concerned."

Senegal international Diouf was the subject of taunts from the home fans throughout yesterday's match, and Houllier was unhappy with the way Taricco played against him.

"I got a bit angry because in the first half - whether it was on purpose or not - Taricco looked as if he wanted to have him sent off," said the Liverpool boss.

"But fortunately the referee spotted it. I thought it was not a nice thing for a fellow footballer to do, and that is why I had a word and asked them to do something at half-time.

"I have never had one of my players try to get another sent off, and after what happened at Celtic it was easy to pick on him.

"The crowd were on his back, but he silenced them himself because he is a talented player."

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill finally received some encouraging news on the injury front yestertday after a weekend to forget. Chris Sutton had an operation on a broken wrist just hours after his side's narrow League Cup final defeat by Rangers on Sunday.

Sutton was initially ruled out for at least six weeks, but it has emerged that in just a month he can transfer to a lightweight cast which would allow him to play.

That would mean there is even a chance Sutton could return for a possible UEFA Cup semi-final on April 10th, should they beat Liverpool. O'Neill was further boosted for the trip to Anfield after Henrik Larsson and Alan Thompson declared themselves fit to play.

The Swede, who has only just returned from a double fracture of the jaw, is ready to play despite taking a heavy blow to the face on Sunday, while Thompson showed no signs of a groin injury suffered last week.

Celtic are still without Didier Agathe for the trip south.