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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits their shock 7-2 defeat to Aston Villa was probably the \u201cknock in the face\u201d his side needed and it could prove to be their most important match of the season.<\/p>\nLiverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits their shock 7-2 defeat to Aston Villa was probably the \u201cknock in the face\u201d his side needed and it could prove to be their most important match of the season.<\/p>\n
During their runaway title victory, their first for 30 years, earlier this year Klopp\u2019s side remarkably dropped only one point until their first defeat in February.<\/p>\n
The aberration at Villa Park was arguably the worst performance under Klopp, who marks the fifth anniversary of his first match with a Merseyside derby against Everton at Goodison Park on Saturday.<\/p>\n
With an international break following immediately afterwards the Reds boss had no time to address the issues with his players but believes the result can have a positive effect.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe challenge in this situation is that you don\u2019t want the players to be affected or influenced in the next game. You want a self-confident team,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t want a team that looks like it\u2019s got heads down, but on the other side you don\u2019t want to forget the game as well and the 7-2 result helps pretty much with that, in the sense we will not forget it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd I got that feeling more and more during the hours after the game that maybe after all the positive things that happened to us it needed a proper knock in the middle of our face to shake us through.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not 100 per cent sure about that but that is the way I take it and then it was OK because there is no other reason why 7-2 should be good.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if it was for that then it could have been the most important game of the season. So that is why we try to use it and we will see.\u201d<\/p>\n
The tier three local lockdown in the Liverpool city area means the 237th Merseyside derby will be one like no other, with fans unable to watch in pubs or together at home.<\/p>\n
Their previous meeting in June, their first match after the shutdown, was a dismal goalless draw at Goodison Park.<\/p>\n
However, Klopp hopes, considering the current local conditions, this one will provide more of a lift.<\/p>\n
\u201cI like to think that football is always a massive point in the city. I\u2019m pretty sure it is,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cA few months ago we were talking about whether football is really necessary and its role in the society. From a very subjective point of view, I was pretty sure that it did.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is an important role that we play. The people in the city are used to dealing with difficult situations, that\u2019s how I see it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t live in the city center and I don\u2019t know how it looks but usually when bad things happen this city comes together and they try to make the best of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe try from a football point of view, for sure. We are both clubs from the city, the whole city is united and will be watching one football game.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom that point of view, you are probably right, that it is even more important.\u201d<\/p>\n