Dirk Kuyt eyes Manchester double

Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt would love nothing better than to achieve a double knockout over Manchester this week.

Having dispatched City in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg on Wednesday the Reds have to raise their game once again for tomorrow's lunchtime visit of United in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The display against Roberto Mancini's side, which booked a first final appearance in five years, was full of determination and effort and Kuyt said it had lifted the squad ahead of an equally tough task in another cup competition.

"The lads are more than ready for the weekend," said the Holland international.

"It will be great not only to knock out City in the Carling Cup but to knock out Manchester United in the FA Cup.

"We set a target on Wednesday night so we have to make sure we play with the same effort as against City and I am sure we will find that.

"We can be happy about what we have achieved in reaching Wembley but we have to put that aside because there's another massive game coming up.

"I think we are used to playing every three days from when we were playing in Europe in the Champions League.

"We were playing big games every two days and that's what Liverpool Football Club should be about.

"It's great to have two great games in a week and we are all focusing already on the next game and we're desperate to win it.

"I think that is one thing we showed against City - that we can compete with the best teams in England."

Tomorrow's encounter is likely to be more hostile than usual in the wake of the fall-out from Liverpool striker Luis Suarez's eight-match ban for racially abusing United defender Patrice Evra.

Both clubs have tried to ease tensions in the build-up to kick-off and Merseyside Police have stressed they will take firm action against anyone guilty of inappropriate remarks or behaviour.

Captain Steven Gerrard insists, however, the players will be firmly focused on progressing in another cup.

"We've got to dust ourselves down and get our recovery in because we've got a massive game in the FA Cup," he told Liverpoolfc.tv.

"We want to do the same in that competition - we want to go a long way."

PA