Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has praised the “amazing” teamwork of winger Dirk Kuyt, defending the Dutch international’s poor scoring record.

Kuyt’s domestic scoring record since joining the Reds in the summer of 2005 is less than impressive, for a player bought as a striker.

But Benitez warns that it is not Kuyt’s goals that make him the player he is, it’s his workrate on the pitch.

He told the club’s official web site, “His teamwork is amazing. When you talk about a team, that’s the most important thing.

“Players like Kuyt are key. You can use the quality of people like Fernando Torres or Steven Gerrard, but you always need players working really hard.

“If you have players with offensive mentality, you need players who can do the ugly jobs. You need to work hard in defence. As a striker, Kuyt is doing his defensive work very well and also scoring important goals.”