Kuyt is battling for a place in Liverpool’s starting line-up for the 204th derby with Everton, along with in-form England striker Peter Crouch, the equally impressive Craig Bellamy and veteran Robbie Fowler, who would love to add to the six derby goals he has scored against the club he supported as a boy.

The 26-year-old, though, looks to have just the right approach to such occasions, saying: “These are the games I love to play in, they just seem to bring out the best in me and I feed off the energy in the stadium.

“I use the positive energy and seem to find another few per cent, and I love going into the lion’s den away from home when your every touch is booed by the rival supporters.

“It doesn’t put me off, it inspires me.”

Kuyt, in an LFC magazine interview, said: “I enjoy derby games. In Holland, I assume Ajax are happy to see the back of me because I have scored six in my last six games against them, and I have a decent record against PSV Eindhoven. They are the two really big rivals to Feyenoord.

“I hope now that I can continue that sort of scoring record against Everton.

“Liverpool play a lot of big games every season and I know how much it helps scoring and winning against your main rivals can be for your career.

“I would like a really nice goal against Everton to help me bond with the Liverpool fans.

“I have seen Liverpool and Everton derbies on TV in Holland, and they look amazing. Everyone is singing and the games are played at a very fast pace.”

He added: “It is one of the games that I have really been looking forward to and the Liverpool players have tried to tell me what to expect.

“Now I hope to experience that myself, I am sure it will be even better in the flesh than on TV.”