Kuyt Looking To Build On Inter Success

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt is hoping that the dramatic victory over Inter on Tuesday will serve as a catalyst for a campaign that has disappointed on so many fronts until now.

The Dutchman scored the crucial breakthrough goal in the 85th minute of the 2-0 success, and he sees no reason why the Reds can't transfer their strong form in Europe to their domestic challenge.

"Everyone I've spoken to, especially the Dutch players around Europe, know how good Liverpool can be - even if we've not shown it over the last couple of games," he said.

"First we have to beat Inter, and reach the next round, and then we can take it from there.

"The manager and all the players are saying the same thing - keep focused. We played well against Inter but want to play more like that in the Champions League and Premier League now.

"If we can go a long way in this competition like last year, it would make up for the disappointments so far this season. We know we have the quality, we just have to show it on the pitch."

Carragher: We Must Forget About Inter Milan

Defender Jamie Carragher has cut short Liverpool’s post Inter Milan celebrations to warn his team mates against losing focus in the Premiership.

Tuesday’s Champions League defeat of Italy’s top side was the highlight of a largely disappointing season for Rafa Benitez’s side.

Carragher wants the performance to be a springboard to a top four finish in the Premiership. He has told Liverpool players not to lose focus in the run up to the return match at the San Siro stadium next month and has demanded total concentration in tomorrow’s home match against Middlesbrough.

"We realise that we've now got three or four league games before the second leg in Milan and we're going to have to make sure that we are in this competition next season,” he said. "There's something about us when we play in Europe but we've got a job to do in the Premiership and we have to make sure we don't lose sight of that.

"I thought Inter defended brilliantly at times but in the end we got a couple of goals. If someone had offered us that before the game we would have been delighted but I'm still expecting a really difficult game when we go over there."

Skrtel Back In Training

Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel has returned to full training following a calf problem.

The Slovakia international only joined The Reds last month but he has been limited to just four appearances and has not featured since the goalless draw with Chelsea.

However, he could now be available for this weekend's Premier League clash against Middlesbrough after recovering quickly from a pulled muscle.

Skrtel told SITA: "The treatment has been going well. It has got better and better.

"The prognosis was that I should be back in up to 10 days and this is the ninth one."

Skrtel was delighted with the performance of his team-mates in the 2-0 victory over Internazionale on Tuesday, which sets Liverpool up as favourites to make it through to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

"The whole team played very well. We were the better team for the whole 90 minutes, we did not give them anything," he said.

"Of course, we had it easier after (Marco) Materrazzi's red card which was perhaps too harsh.

"It was just a pity we did not score more goals, but even so the result 2-0 is very promising ahead of the second leg. I believe we will go through."

Daniel Agger Set To Be Eased Back Into Action

Injury-jinxed Daniel Agger has been given the go-ahead to resume his Liverpool career.

But the centre-back will be eased back into the first-team fray by Rafael Benitez after missing the last five months with a broken metatarsal.

Agger was told he can make his long-awaited comeback after visiting a specialist in Denmark yesterday.

The 23-year-old has been training in a pair of specially-modified boots and was close to making a return last month before suffering a setback.

Now his injury nightmare appears to finally be at an end, although Agger is unlikely to be thrown straight into the team despite Liverpool facing a centre-back crisis tomorrow.

With Jamie Carragher serving a one-match suspension, Martin Skrtel almost certainly still out and Jack Hobbs on loan at Scunthorpe United, Sami Hyypia is the only other senior centre-back available to Benitez for the Premier League visit of Middlesbrough.
Skrtel has missed the last two games after picking up a calf injury during training last week, and isn’t expected to regain full fitness in time for tomorrow’s game.

“The treatment has been going well,” said the Slovakian international yesterday.

“It has got better and better. The prognosis was that I should be back in up to 10 days and this is the ninth one.”

Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso will decide on his Anfield future at the end of the season.

The Spain midfielder became a regular in the Liverpool team on his arrival from Real Sociedad as one of Benitez’s first signings in August 2004.

However, this season Alonso has suffered from a metatarsal injury and a loss of form, and has seen both Javier Mascherano and Lucas Leiva move ahead of him in the central midfield pecking order.

Alonso, who has started just 13 games this campaign, was an unused substitute for the Champions League triumph over Inter Milan on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old signed a new five-year deal in the summer but has long been courted by Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Former Liverpool youngster Besian Idrizaj has been released from hospital in Austria after collapsing while playing for new club FC Wacker Innsbruck on Saturday.

The 20-year-old fell to the floor 14 minutes after coming on as substitute in his team’s game against Sturm Graz.

Extensive heart and brain tests showed no obvious problem and Idrizaj, who never played for the Liverpool first team but scored a hat-trick in the friendly win at Wrexham in July, has been allowed to return home.

The striker left Anfield for his homeland on transfer deadline day last month after loan spells at Luton Town and Crystal Palace earlier this season.

Liverpool’s Dirk Kuyt Certain That Reds Can Improve Their Premier League Standing After Champions League Win

Dutch International Dirk Kuyt is hoping that Liverpool can repeat their performance in the Premier League as they did in the UEFA Champions League, where they beat Inter Milan 2-0 at Anfield in the first-leg last night.

Rafael Benitez’s side have had a comfortable time in the European League in the last couple of years attaining the crown in 2004/05 and making it to the finals last season.

Despite their fine performance in the Champions League, the Reds have so far failed to deliver the same level of performances in the Premier League.

However, Kuyt is certain his side will be encouraged by Wednesday's 2-0 UEFA Champions League triumph over Internazionale and deliver some fine performances in England’s top flight league.

“Everyone I've spoken to, especially the Dutch players around Europe, know how good Liverpool can be - even if we've not shown it over the last couple of games," he said.

"First we have to beat Inter, and reach the next round, and then we can take it from there.

"The manager and all the players are saying the same thing - keep focused. We played well against Inter but want to play more like that in the Champions League and Premier League now.

"If we can go a long way in this competition like last year, it would make up for the disappointments so far this season. We know we have the quality, we just have to show it on the pitch."