That moment really summed up the tough patch Liverpool went through earlier in the season. Back then, Virgil van Dijk’s on-field shouts towards Milos Kerkez probably leaned more critical than kind. Things have turned around, though. Now, if Van Dijk’s hollering at Kerkez, there’s a good chance it’s praise.

Kerkez has kept up his strong run, grabbing man of the match as Liverpool knocked out Brighton on Saturday to reach the FA Cup fifth round.

Getting to this point hasn’t exactly been a breeze for Kerkez. He came in from Bournemouth last summer for £40 million and is expected to fill Andy Robertson’s shoes long-term. Not the easiest gig.

But Van Dijk has seen Kerkez settle in. The young left-back set up Curtis Jones for Liverpool’s opener against Brighton, and he’s starting to get what it means to play for this club.

“You can see he’s getting better,” Van Dijk said. “He’s so young, still getting used to being a Liverpool player, and it’s more than just playing football here. When the team’s up and down, it’s tough to show your best.

"But with Robbo helping him and the rest of us, plus his own hard work, he’s making real progress. There’s so much more for him to learn, which is great. He just needs to keep at it.

“He’s got loads of energy; he’s young, you know? We all had that when we were his age. He wants to learn.

"And the price tag? Nothing you can do about it. When I signed for £75 million, it was the same thing. Big money, but what can you do?”

Earlier in the season, Van Dijk often played the tough mentor, always talking to Kerkez, sometimes giving him blunt advice. It wasn’t always pretty to watch, but Van Dijk knew it was part of the process.

“I’ve had plenty of chats with him on the pitch; we need to work together, whether it’s covering for each other or sorting out positioning,” Van Dijk said.

"You have to understand each other, and Robbo and I had that for years. It comes with time and games.

"Of course, we talk on the pitch and behind the scenes just like everyone else. We’re all trying to be the best team we can be.”

Saturday wasn’t just about Kerkez, though. Mohamed Salah put on a show too, setting up Dominik Szoboszlai for the second and then winning and scoring the penalty for Liverpool’s third.

Not long ago, people worried that a home win over Brighton would be Salah’s last Liverpool match before heading to the Africa Cup of Nations, especially after he came out swinging with comments about being scapegoated and having no real relationship with Arne Slot.

Since then, things have calmed down. Salah came back from international duty with two goals and four assists in seven games.

Van Dijk knows just how much Salah means to Liverpool. “Mo is still huge for us. Last week, he got another assist and broke another record. As captain, having him around means a lot to me, and the team is better with him out there.

"He always brings more than goals, but people focus on his scoring. That’s the price of setting such high standards; if he isn’t banging them in, he gets stick.

"He just needs to stay calm and keep doing what he does, because he’s got so much more to give. He’s a big presence for us, on and off the pitch.”

Of course, people are still talking about Salah’s future. The Saudi Pro League is circling, ready to make another move for him this summer.

Van Dijk takes it as it comes. “It is what it is. All our focus is on making this season a success. We’ll see what happens after that.

"I always want Mo to stay. He’s a good friend; we’ve been through the highs and the not-so-highs together for years. I’m in the same spot with one more year left on my contract, so we’ll see.”

Luis Diaz’s success at Bayern Munich might open the door for Liverpool to sign Yan Diomande, RB Leipzig’s electric winger. At least, that’s what a few journalists are predicting, and there’s even talk from one source that Diomande to Liverpool is almost a sure thing.

Remember, Diaz left Liverpool last summer for Bayern in a massive €75 million deal. That move basically bankrolled Liverpool’s record £125 million signing of Alexander Isak. Since landing in Germany, Diaz has been on fire with 19 goals and 15 assists in just 32 games. He’s been tearing it up alongside Harry Kane and Michael Olise.

Now, Liverpool is watching all this with interest. German journalist Christian Falk thinks Diaz’s rise could actually make it easier for Liverpool to swoop in for Diomande instead of letting him slip to Bayern. Falk writes, “Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool all want Diomande, and they can all afford him. But Bayern? They don’t need a Plan A; they need a Plan B. Spending €100 million on a Plan B behind Diaz, that’s just too much.”

Leipzig wants a club-record fee for Diomande, €100 million. That would top their last big sale, when Josko Gvardiol left for €90 million. Sources inside Leipzig have laughed off the idea of letting Diomande go for anything close to €60 million.

Liverpool, Man United, and Arsenal have all scouted Diomande and have already started talking to his camp. But Liverpool seems to have the edge. Back in January, Diomande said, “I want to play at Anfield; I want to play for Liverpool. I’m a big Liverpool fan. My father’s dream is to see me play for Liverpool.”

It’s easy to see why Liverpool is keen. In February, journalist James Pearce claimed it’s pretty much destiny that a top winger joins Arne Slot’s side this summer, and Diomande is high on their list. He can play on either wing, so he could step in for Cody Gakpo or even be the long-term replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Then, just a few days ago, Liverpool reporter David Lynch doubled down, guaranteeing Diomande is on Liverpool’s radar and said the club might move earlier than usual to beat out United, City, or Arsenal. Normally, Liverpool would wait a few years before dropping that kind of cash on a young attacker, but the pressure’s on. Clubs are acting faster than ever, and Liverpool doesn’t want to miss their shot.