Dirk Kuyt has described Rafael Benitez as 'the best manager he has ever had' and aims to repay the Spaniard for his support by helping to fire Liverpool to more Champions League glory.
The Dutchman admits he has endured a difficult season following the death of his father last year but believes he can now see light at the end of the tunnel and feels he is about to prove just how important he can be to Liverpool's future. "You always give your best as a player but sometimes you can have problems mentally," said Kuyt.
"It was difficult to concentrate on football after my father died but I feel it is all behind me now. Sometimes things just need time for you to recover.
"People don't know what is happening with players behind the scenes. Everybody knows I have had a hard time privately, and I am just coming out of it.
"I've played better in the past few games, I have scored a few important goals and I have provided a few assists.
"It was the first time anything like this had happened to me and it has made me only stronger. Now I feel much better than a few months ago, I want to carry on and show I am a good player."
Kuyt's recent upturn in form has seen him play a significant role in Liverpool's seven match winning streak - including a vital goal in a 2-0 win over Inter Milan - and he insists it was Benitez's support during the difficult times that helped him to come through it and he now wants to reward his manager with another European Cup success.
"It would be really special to repay him by winning the Champions League," continued Kuyt.
"He is a really great manager. In the period when it was hard for me, when I had some problems, he was there for me.
"That he cared what happened to me outside the pitch means a lot. He is the best manager I've had.
"Playing football has been like a medicine for me. When you play great games, such as against Inter Milan in the Champions League, you can devote all your energy to what happens on the pitch.
"Hopefully, I can keep going like this and we can do well in the league and Champions League. We lost the final last year, we definitely want to be there again this time."
While the Reds' hopes of a third Champions League final appearance in four seasons remains their only realistic chance of silverware this year, they must still maintain a push for fourth spot in the Premier League.
A 2-1 win over Reading has helped them to consolidate that position ahead of next weekend's crunch trip to Old Trafford and Kuyt feels it is about time Liverpool got a result that past performances have against United have not been rewarded by.
Kuyt added: "We were a bit unlucky in our recent games against United, so hopefully we will get that luck this time.
"It is unbelievable. We deserved something more from those games.
"I think when you are at Liverpool you want to win every game, and especially against Man United.It is a really big game coming up and we really want to show we can beat them.
"United have a quality team. Only in the past six or seven games have we shown it."
Source from www.lfc.tv