The Bees lost 2-0 after a late brace struck by Liverpool striker Nunez.
Van Dijk said post-match: “You have to earn these things. As a striker you get judged on goals, especially at a club like Liverpool. Today he put his mark on the game, very important. We need everyone at their best. Today was his day.
“Every win is a big result, especially when the teams around us are very strong. We have to stay consistent, win games and perform well.
“They (Brentford) have a very clear structure. You try to break a low block down and if you lose the ball sometimes you can get a counter-attack on you. They create some danger moments (and) they create them against any team in the league. We handled it well and could have scored more.
“There is no walk in the park. Every game, teams are very good. They want to play their best game against us like we want to play our best game against them.
“If nobody is ready for a bumpy ride then this season will definitely be one.”