Returning to the familiar confines of Stamford Bridge, Chelsea is set to take on Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League. The Blues boast an impressive record on home turf, remaining undefeated since October. This resilience has propelled them to the Carabao Cup final, secured a spot in the FA Cup fourth round, and marked six consecutive unbeaten league matches at Stamford Bridge. However, in stark contrast, Chelsea’s away performances have not been as stellar, prompting head coach Mauricio Pochettino to emphasize the need for improvement on the road to climb higher in the top-flight table in the coming weeks.

‘We need to improve our away form, I can’t say anything different,’ Pochettino explained.

‘We were good away at Burnley, Fulham and Tottenham, then yes [things changed]. We focused on changing the form at Stamford Bridge [which we have done], but while we have played some tough games away from home, we need to improve our performances.’

Our latest trip on the road came in midweek against Liverpool. It was a frustrating evening in which four goals were conceded and two strong Chelsea penalty claims were turned down.

Pochettino’s surprise at the refereeing decisions at Anfield is undiminished – ‘two days later, the feelings are still here in your gut’ – but the Argentine highlighted the need for his players to understand what is required to compete in challenging circumstances.

‘The most important thing is to realise why [we were beaten] and do the things we need to compete better,’ he explained at his pre-match press conference. ‘It’s not only to work harder or work more, it’s about improving as a team.

‘In different periods of the game, we showed a lack of experience as a team. We didn’t show we were capable of doing other things, of playing in a different way, and doing what we practiced.

‘But you prepare every single day for a game, then it’s about arriving, showing the right attitude, being brave, showing character, personality. Football is also that.’

Wolves’ visit tomorrow afternoon is an opportunity for Chelsea’s players to respond to the midweek disappointment. Yet Gary O’Neil’s side will also be looking to bounce back after a painful 4-3 defeat to Manchester United on Thursday evening.

Pochettino watched that game at Molineux, a stadium at which he saw his side beaten in December. It’s why the Chelsea head coach has warned a strong performance will be required tomorrow.

‘It can only be a reference when you watch different games,’ Pochettino replied when asked about Wolves’ performance against United. ‘That is the beauty of the game, you cannot predict what is going to happen.

‘Always, we take five games as a reference to prepare for the games, so we see the patterns and the things that are repeated.

‘But, of course, it’s a team that when we play against them, we know very well. They are going to be competitive, so we need to be focused and show a solid performance if we are going to win.’