Ronald Koeman feels Wednesday's trip to Arsenal is the ideal chance for Southampton to bounce back from Sunday's defeat to Manchester City.
Barclays Premier League Champions City replaced Southampton in second place in the table with a convincing 3-0 win at St Mary's Stadium on Sunday, a result that represented just a third loss of the season for the hosts.
Koeman's superb start to life on the south coast means his side still enjoy a four-point cushion in third spot over Manchester United, and they can visit the Emirates Stadium full of confidence having already won there in the Capital One Cup back in September.
Wednesday's match comes in the middle of a challenging eight-day period for Southampton, which culminates with a home match against United next Monday.
But while Koeman - who will be without Morgan Schneiderlin (thigh) at Arsenal - admitted his players are somewhat downbeat after Sunday, he wants their trip to north London to be seen as an opportunity.
"Of course, it's been different. The faces are different when you lose, that's normal," the Dutchman told his pre-match media conference on Monday.
"It has to be like that because if you don't have that you don't learn.
"We know on Wednesday we play again and there is no time to be disappointed with one result.
"Arsenal is the best way to have a good reaction - that means working hard and showing it on the pitch.
"Like City, they had some problems but the spirit of them is back and they have good players - they are a team who has to fight to win the title or there are critics."
While Koeman's side were comprehensively beaten at the weekend, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal bounced back from successive BPL losses to Swansea City and United by winning 1-0 at West Bromwich Albion.
Wenger has doubts over the fitness Nacho Monreal, Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain due to knocks, while Jack Cork returns to the Southampton squad after illness ruled him out of their defeat on Sunday.
Arsenal (from): Martinez, Szczesny, Chambers, Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Monreal, Cazorla, Diaby, Flamini, Gnabry, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey, Rosicky, Alexis, Campbell, Giroud, Podolski, Sanogo, Walcott, Welbeck.
Southampton (from): K Davis, Forster, Gazzaniga, Alderweireld, Bertrand, Clyne, Fonte, Gardos, Targett, Yoshida, Cork, S Davis, Isgrove, Mane, McQueen, Reed, Tadic, Wanyama, Long, Mayuka, Pelle.
Match Appointments
Referee: Andre Marriner
Assistants: P Kirkup, M Perry
Fourth Official: A Taylor
Match Facts
Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine Barclays Premier League fixtures against Southampton (W5 D4).
Arsene Wenger has come up against Ronald Koeman on seven occasions, winning just one match, drawing four and losing two.
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