Jurgen Klopp described Liverpool's defeat to Aston Villa as a "knock in the middle of the face" as he challenged his players to bounce back at Everton.
The Reds suffered their heaviest defeat for 57 years when they were shockingly hammered 7-2 by a free-scoring Villa on October 4.
With Everton top of the Premier League having won all their games so far this season, the Reds face the prospect of a first defeat in 10 years when they make the short trip across Stanley Park on Saturday lunchtime.
Klopp admitted there were few positives to take away from Villa Park before the international break, but believes the stunning loss can yet still act as one of the most important results of the season for the Premier League champions.
The Liverpool manager said: "The challenge in this situation is we don't want to see the players affected or influenced.
"We don't want to see heads down or anything like that. On the other side, the 7-2 helps that we will not forget it.
"I got that feeling more and more after the game that maybe after all the positive things that happened to us, we needed a proper knock in the middle of our face to shake us through.
"I am not 100 per cent sure about that, but there is no other reason why a 7-2 should be good.
"But if it is possible for that, then it could be the most important game of the season. That is what we try when we try to use it, so we will see.
"Everton won the last game before the internationals, we lost. That is a big difference.
"The closer we get to this game, the influence [of the previous game] just isn't there any more, so the perfect shape that Everton were in before the international break is not automatically there.
"And our problems that we had at Aston Villa are not automatically there. So we can be different to the Villa game and that is what we try.
"We are a team that people don't like to play against and that means the same for Everton, with all of the respect [we have] for them and what they do.
"It is a football game, we have a chance but never nothing more."
Meanwhile, the Reds boss dismissed concerns over Roberto Firmino's form in front of goal.
The Liverpool No.9 is yet to get off the mark this term and bagged just one at Anfield last season as the Reds won the title by 18 points.
Klopp, though, insists he is more than happy with the contributions of the Brazil international as they prepare to head to Everton for the 237th Merseyside derby.
"I don't know when that will be a problem for me, but at the moment, it is not even close to becoming a problem," Klopp said.
"These are the times where I have to be different to the outside world.
"If I would judge moments as much as you have to and that is not just seconds or games, 'moments' can be a period, but for me it is just important how influential the player is and how he works for the team.
"Now we lost the last Premier League game, before that we won them all and Bobby didn't score but Bobby was incredibly influential.
"It is always clear with a player like Bobby, if he is not scoring, then you realise that even he can lose the ball from time to time and then you add on that he doesn't score and loses these balls, and all of a sudden you ask 'is that Bobby Firmino?' Yes, it is.
"He scored twice for Brazil and he is in top shape to be honest. He will play as long as he can.
"So it is normal that you discuss it and we discuss performances, both individual and as a team, but not in the same way as you (the media).
"Yes, we want him to score and to get into the positions to score and yes, he could have scored twice, maybe, against Aston Villa early on.
"I know that, I don't like it, he doesn't like it, but it's not the one thing I think about when I think about Bobby, obviously."
