Liverpool 2 Bolton 0

LIVERPOOL striker Dirk Kuyt insists speculation about manager Rafael Benitez’s future at the club is a long way down the players’ list of priorities.

Juventus have made the Reds boss their number one target to take over in the summer having sacked Ciro Ferrara last Friday and installed Alberto Zaccheroni as the stop-gap until the end of the season.

Benitez stoked the fires slightly by admitting he was ‘‘proud’’ to be linked with such an institution but Kuyt said the concentration of everyone at the club was on their minimum target of securing Champions League football next year.

‘‘To be honest we just focus on football and not other things outside the pitch,’’ said the Holland international, who scored Liverpool’s first in Saturday’s 2-0 win at home to Bolton.

‘‘As far as I know there is no doubt. I’ve not heard there is any trouble or indication the manager could leave so if that is not happening we just want to play football.’’ The win over Bolton, thanks to Kuyt’s 49th strike in a Liverpool shirt and a Kevin Davies own goal helped turn some of the focus back on football.

With Tottenham drawing against Birmingham, Benitez’s side are now only a point off fourth place with their form now improving.

Their performance was far from convincing as the visitors could have twice been ahead before Kuyt converted a scrappy 37th-minute chance from close range.

‘‘It is getting better and better,’’ said Kuyt.

‘‘We knew at the start of the season we had lots of quality in the team but things didn’t happen the way we wanted them to but that is behind us now.

‘‘You can see as soon as the goals are coming the confidence is coming back as well.’’