As the Reds prepare to face Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Tuesday chasing their fourth ACL win in a row, van Dijk, who is in Japan for the first time, is definitely not seeing it as a chance to do some sightseeing.

In his first taste of the prestigious Asian club competition and after watching the Reds make it all the way to the final in 2008, the former Brisbane Roar striker wants to make this opportunity count and he is determined to make sure the playing group is not satisfied and content with what it has achieved yet.

"Winning three games and hopefully the next one as well, it's always good for the confidence, but we have to look at ourselves and see what can be better because it's the Champions League and there is no room for error," said Van Dijk.

"So we have to stay concentrated and we still have a long way to go because we're in the Champions League to win it, and if you want to get to the Final you have to be perfect."

Against Sanfrecce Hiroshima last Wednesday, Van Dijk and the Reds quickly learnt that anything less than their best can and more often than not will be punished at this level.

United allowed the J-League club back into the contest, Hiroshima on the brink of springing a major surprise after they fought back from a goal down to lead 2-1 with less than 20 minutes to go. Goals from Robert Cornthwaite and Cassio saved the Reds' blushes, but it highlighted what can happen in the ACL.

Van Dijk agrees the fright was a timely reality check for United, Sanfrecce's revival with 10 men giving the Reds an indication of just how quickly things can change if they are even just a tiny bit off their game.

"It's our own fault that we made it that difficult, but it puts us back on the ground and makes us have a look at ourselves knowing that we have to be sharp every game," the Dutch marksman said.

Despite United heading to Hiroshima to take on a team that has suffered defeats in each of their opening three matches and is unlikely to qualify for the next round, van Dijk believes it would be at the Reds' peril to discount them.

"I think they (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) still want to set things right and try to win. I think it's going to be hard, even though they don't have any points yet," Van Dijk said.

"I don't think they want to end the Group stage with no wins at all, so I think it's going to be hard and we have to prepare for everything."

United produced an impressive 2-nil win over China's Shandong Luneng in their only previous away game of the 2010 competition, in which van Dijk scored his debut goal for the club, and he said the Reds will need another concerted 90 minute performance to repeat the dose in Hiroshima.

"Technically you could see they (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) can play football as well, but if we can stay concentrated, like the first two games, then I think we can grab a win," added van Dijk.