Liverpool could’ve easily let that painful finish against Manchester City drag them down. Instead, they bounced back with real grit, a tough Premier League win over Sunderland and then a smooth FA Cup victory against Brighton on Saturday night.

That win over Brighton felt solid. Sure, they’re struggling in the league, but let’s not forget, they knocked out Manchester United in the last round, and, on their day, they can push anyone.

Honestly, Liverpool deserved even more goals. The officials got a couple of calls wrong, and Rio Ngumoha was especially unlucky to have his goal ruled out.

I have to mention that the first goal – I loved it. Milos Kerkez set up Curtis Jones, and you just don’t see full-backs combining like that very often. Real awareness from both of them. Special stuff.

I’d been hoping Arne Slot would take the FA Cup seriously, so it was good to see him name such a strong lineup, even with a few changes mixed in.

Alisson Becker's start was a bit of a shock, but it paid off. That save from Diego Gomez before halftime kept things steady. That’s two clean sheets on the bounce, which has to boost the defenders’ confidence.

You could see the difference late on at Sunderland, too. There wasn’t that familiar sense of panic as they protected a narrow lead. That’s how it needs to be for the rest of the season.

There’s just no room for big mistakes now. With so much riding on these last three competitions, one slip in a cup and you’re out. Mess up in the league, and top-four hopes are toast.

One thing still nags at me: Liverpool keeps starting games so slowly. It’s almost a running joke now.

Maybe that’s just Slot’s way; he likes control, not the wild, fast starts you’d see with Klopp. But this season, it’s way more obvious.

It definitely takes the edge off home games sometimes. The crowd doesn’t have much to get excited about early on. Clearly, Slot wants Liverpool to figure out the opponent’s plan, then turn up the tempo once they’ve got a grip on things.

But other teams have noticed. Some are coming out flying, trying to catch us cold. It can feel like Liverpool is showing too much respect instead of just backing themselves.

I get the cautious approach after those poor results earlier this season, but that’s behind us. It’s time to come out of the blocks faster.

Now that the title race is done, Liverpool should go all out for the FA Cup. It’s a real shot at a trophy.

Kerkez is growing in confidence.

What a turnaround for Milos Kerkez. Against Brighton, he was Liverpool’s best player, and it’s not the first game he’s stood out lately.

People forget how tough it is to step up and play for Liverpool. Sure, Kerkez has Premier League experience, but playing in front of 10,000 at Bournemouth every other week is nothing like the pressure and spotlight you get at Anfield.

Only Manchester United comes close to matching Liverpool’s intensity in that sense. The sheer size of the club – it’s massive.

Kerkez struggled at first, and playing in a team that wasn’t firing didn’t help. But now you can see his confidence. He’s proving that the signings Liverpool made last summer have huge potential; they’re already starting to deliver.

And as a left-back, Kerkez is bringing some of that same energy and drive Andy Robertson has given the team for years. He’s showing he’s a more than worthy replacement.

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.”