Dirk Kuyt: Standard Liege can be a lesson
DIRK KUYT believes Liverpool's Belgian battering has given them "the kick we needed" - and warned Sunderland to beware a backlash tomorrow.
The Anfield outfit were fortunate to escape with a goalless draw from their Champions League qualifier against Standard Liege on Wednesday night.
It was an alarming start to the new campaign for Rafael Benitez's side, who were indebted to a sparkling performance from goalkeeper Pepe Reina that included a penalty save.
And Kuyt, one of several players horribly under-par on the evening, admits it was a wake-up call for a Liverpool team that were unbeaten throughout pre-season.
"I think we have to look on it as the kick we needed," he said. "We are still in the game and we will have a good chance at Anfield. We all know we have to perform better - and we will.
"The only good thing about that game for us was the 0-0 scoreline. We were all very disappointed by the performance we gave, as players and as a team. We tried to do our best and it was not good enough.
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"They could certainly have had one or two goals, and Pepe Reina was definitely man of the match. He made some wonderful saves and also stopped a penalty.
"If you don't play well, but still draw your worst games, then you can actually look on that as a good thing. We didn't concede a goal so you also have to take the positives, and that is one. We have to do better, but we all know that we will.
"We will not play as badly as that again, we must improve and we will improve."
Liverpool have an immediate chance to atone for their poor display when they begin their Premier League title quest at Sunderland tomorrow evening.
And Kuyt added: "We are looking forward to Saturday even more, to show who we are and what we can do.
"We know we have quality in the team, we showed that in the pre-season when we played some good games - and we know it will be there on Saturday as well.
"It sometimes happens that you don't play your best game as a team, but we will not play like that on Saturday.
"We struggled with the pitch in Belgium, although that isn't an excuse, and with the ball. We couldn't string four or five passes together.
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"Standard played a lot of long balls and did really well in the air, winning a lot of the second balls. It was very difficult but the good thing was the clean sheet and now we are looking for revenge and to put things right in the second leg."
Benitez expects to be able to select from a stronger squad for the return game of their Champions League qualifier, particularly with the Olympics football tournament having finished five days earlier.
"We know now what we have to do at Anfield," said Benitez. "We will have had a few more competitive games and we will have a more people available.
"Javier Mascherano, Lucas Leiva and Ryan Babel will be back with us, Fabio Aurelio should be fit by then and Steven Gerrard will also be available and fully fit this time, as will Martin Skrtel."
One of either Mascherano or Babel will definitely return in time for the Premier League home game against Middlesbrough next weekend, with Argentina and Holland competing a quarter-final tomorrow.
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