Kuyt at the double for Reds

Liverpool's rehabilitation from a difficult early season form continued with their fourth victory at Anfield in 11 days as Dirk Kuyt scored twice in the 2-0 victory over Reading.

The win stretched their unbeaten home league record to 22 matches, dating back 13 months to the hammering by Chelsea.

Reading started as if they had taken to heart manager Steve Coppell's pleas they should not to be frightened.

Glen Little got away on the right after seven minutes and found Brynjar Gunnarsson 10 yards out but his crisp shot hit Jamie Carragher and bounced just wide. However, with Steven Gerrard back into central midfield Liverpool went ahead after 14 minutes.

Gerrard's neat chip into the box was nodded down by Peter Crouch and with Marcus Hahnemann in two minds whether to come for the ball Kuyt fired into an open goal from six yards.

Another Gerrard flighted ball into the box was met by Kuyt's flicked header with Hahnemann saving well to his left before Jermaine Pennant tested the Reading keeper from 20 yards and then Jamie Carragher - on his 300th league appearance for the club - raced from the back to drive just over the angle.

Kuyt had a long-range strike deflected wide and saw two headers bounce across goal, and Reading did well to survive until the break without further damage.

Carragher had to be sharp to force the ball away from Stephen Hunt in the box before Steve Sidwell and Sodje were booked for dissent and clattering into Kuyt respectively.

Gerrard headed wide from Pennant's corner before Ibrahima Sonko forced the ball home from a corner only for the effort ruled out for a foul on Reina.

Liverpool's second came when Pennant's 73rd-minute corner was diverted by Crouch's head off Hahnemann into the path of Kuyt who drilled home from three yards.