Liverpool Lore: Spotlighting Dirk Kuyt, Liverpool's working-class hero
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When I say he’d never tire, it’s not an understatement.As he was doing his self-obligatory clap around all four corners of Anfield after every home game, he looked like he had 90 more minutes in him.That aggressive and tireless playstyle was how he saw the majority of his chances for Liverpool. He’d always gamble on a loose ball, he’d always close the defender down, he’d always track his man back.Whether it was minute 1 or minute 101, you could guarantee Kuyt wouldn’t be too far away from making an impact.
He’d been the most loyal of servants in the 5 years prior, and he was entering his penultimate year in Merseyside.Manchester United were the visitors in early May, and we hadn’t had the best of luck against them in recent times.We did, however, have this Uruguayan magician who seemed to bend the fabric of time and space when he played football. Luis Suarez had been at the club for 2 months, and he’d already turned a lot of heads.He was pivotal to Kuyt’s finest 90 minutes in a red shirt.
Part two, Dirk Kuyt, the ultimate opportunist.Kuyt scored three goals that day, and he wouldn’t score an easier three goals for the rest of his career.Number one came after Luis Suarez took the ball past 3 United players in the distance of just inside the box to the byline. He gets the free kick off and on target, but van der Sar spills it.Liverpool v Manchester United- Premier League | Andrew Powell/GettyImagesKuyt is the first to react, as he always was, scooping the spilt save over the United goalkeeper for his third.3-0, total hat-trick yardage: 6.0 yards.One of the most unique hat-tricks we’d ever seen and the first at that time against United for 21 years.Whilst it wasn’t the most glamorous hat-tricks by a long shot, it encapsulated everything Dirk Kuyt was about.