Kuyt: I can assure everyone that we will beat Barcelona

DIRK KUYT has vowed that Liverpool will bounce back from the misery of home defeat by bitter enemies Manchester United to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League.

>“We may well have seen the English champions after United beat us, but I can assure everyone that we will beat Barcelona and reach the Champions League last eight,” he said.

“To lose 1-0 like that, right at the end, is a tough blow to take. But we will bounce back for the Champions League. If we play like that we will beat Barcelona.

“If we show the level of skill and effort we did against Manchester United, I have no doubt that we will win against Barcelona and go into the quarter-finals.”

Said manager Rafa Benitez: “We must get this out of our heads and start thinking about beating Barcelona. We knew that these few days would define our season, now we have lost one and have Barcelona now. We must realise what possibilities we now have in the Champions League.”

Benitez believes the title will go to United now. “United are really close now. Chelsea are a good team but in their situation they cannot make any mistakes.”