Simon Mignolet believes his rival for the goalkeeper jersey, Loris Karius, will up his game after losing his place.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reinstated the Belgian for the midweek victory over Middlesbrough following recent mistakes and criticism of the German.
Karius looked visibly upset on the bench as Mignolet looked sharp in the 3-0 success at the Riverside.
While Middlesbrough have struggled for goals since their return to the top division, the Reds will have still been pleased to record what was only their fourth clean sheet in the Premier League this term.
Offensively, Liverpool have been arguably the best side this season surpassing 50 goals in all competitions but they have looked shaky at the back.
The defence has been the constant concern for those who wonder if the Anfield side can launch a lasting title bid with the dramatic 4-3 loss to Bournemouth the perfect example of how badly things can go.
When Karius arrived in the summer from German side Mainz, it was with the expectation he would become the new No. 1 at Liverpool, however, like many before him, the 23-year-old is taking his time in adjusting to the different demands of football in England.
“The goalkeeper position is not an easy one. You can only speak about it if you are a goalkeeper yourself,” Mignolet was quoted by ESPN.
“We are teammates so of course I have sympathy. I am 28 now and I have been through it as well. At a club like Liverpool, one mistake gets really big out of nothing. I know what it is like and it’s not nice.”
Despite his sympathy, Mignolet also acknowledges the ups and downs are part and parcel of being at a club with the prestige of Liverpool and expects the German to learn from the current situation.
“The most important thing is Liverpool Football Club,” he said. “No individual is more important than the club.
“Obviously for Loris it won’t be nice but he is more than capable and professional enough to deal with that and learn from it. He will get stronger.”
Klopp has not given a timeline for when Karius could expect his next shot at reclaiming the No. 1 spot, though the EFL Cup ties against Southampton may provide an ideal opportunity.
It will also depend on whether Mignolet can maintain the form he showed against Middlesbrough in the always gruelling Christmas schedule which begins with a Merseyside derby on Monday and also includes a trip to Manchester City on New Year’s Eve.
However, the Belgian has said that during his own recent spell on the sidelines, he has simply focused on being ready for the chance that has now arisen.
“I always try to be ready in this kind of period,” he explained. “I am somebody who thinks about training for yourself and you have to make sure you keep fit and healthy and ready.
“In football, things can change very quickly with an injury or an illness. Therefore you have to look after yourself, stay professional, keep your head down, work hard and off the pitch stay focused, which is not always easy, especially as a keeper.
“As a striker you can come on to help the team at certain moments but here you have to wait for your chance to come and try to be ready.
“I only knew I was playing on Tuesday and then I had to focus on my own job to make sure I was ready to play. You have to be mentally strong as a keeper.”
