DIRK KUYT has dismissed claims that referee Pieter Vink did him a favour by denying Arsenal a penalty in last night's Champions' League tie.

Kuyt, whose goal gives Liverpool the edge ahead of the second leg at Anfield, admitted that he knew Vink, but rubbished suggestions that the official had acted in his interest when the forward appeared to bring down Alexander Hleb.

Vink waved away the Arsenal appeals, but Kuyt insists it was the right decision.

"I think the referee got the decision right," said Kuyt. "I did touch Hleb but I didn't pull his shirt or hold him. It was close to be fair but he didn't deserve a penalty.

"I do know the referee. I played in Holland lots of times where he was the referee and he was the official when we played Feyenoord earlier this season. We both come from the same area. He comes from Leiden and that is the place where I grew up also.

"It is wrong, though, to say that, because I know the referee, he made decisions in my favour. He made a good decision against Arsenal with the penalty. There were no favours."