Chelsea will look to move to within four points of second-placed Manchester City when they host Southampton in the English Premier League at Stamford Bridge Wednesday.
The Blues got back on track after a couple of disappointing results, with an authoritative 4-0 win over Stoke City at the weekend. That win should breed confidence in the squad, and Rafa Benitez will be hoping for another similar performance against improving Southampton.
Chelsea would generally have been happy to play at home, but off late their form at Stamford Bridge has been largely underwhelming, with two losses in their last two games. The London side are currently in third on 41 points, seven behind second-placed City with a game in hand.
"The main thing has been the attitude of other teams," Benitez said. "In the last two games they were very deep. We created some chances but we didn't have much space.
"We didn't have counter-attacks or one against one situations that you would normally have when you play away.
"Teams are playing with too many players behind the ball. It's something that happens when you are a top team playing at home, so we need to address it and be more clinical when we get chances.
"You can't run behind defenders when they are deep because you will end up in the stand. When the opposition attack, there are spaces to run in behind defenders because they drop off and then you have space between the lines.
"Against Swansea we had a lot of clear chances which we didn't take and that allowed them to remain deep for the rest of the game."
Chelsea will again be without Nigerian duo John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses, who are preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations, while skipper John Terry is expected to be eased into first team action, after making his first appearance as a substitute against Stoke.
"As a manager you need to know how your players are at the moment and what it means to play one or another," Benitez said.
"You have to consider all options, but in the case of John, he's still not fully fit. He knows that, we know that, and the best way to help the team is to play him when he is ready.
"The match fitness takes some time, especially when you have been eight weeks without playing or training."
Southampton, who will be without Adam Lallana and Jose Fonte, with Luke Shaw doubtful, will be equally keen to get all three points against the Blues, and climb further away from the relegation zone.
The last time the two sides met, Chelsea cruised to a 5-1 win over the Saints in the FA Cup, and Southampton manager Nigel Adkins is hoping for a bit of revenge for that result.
"We're in a good run of form so whoever we play we're going to believe that we've got an opportunity to get something from the game," Adkins told the club's official website.
"Obviously, we played them not so long ago in the cup and that gives us an insight into their capabilities up front and out wide. We know they're a good side, and the last two Wednesdays at home, they've lost, and they're expected to win their games at home.
"They've got talented, talented football players as we believe we have as well, and what we've got to do is make sure that we go there with the belief that we can get three points and if not then we come away with one."
Expected lineups: Chelsea: Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Ivanovic, Cole; Luiz, Lampard; Hazard, Mata, Bertrand; Torres.
Southampton: Boruc; Clyne, Yoshida, Hooiveld, De Ridder; Rodriguez, Cork, Schneiderlin, Ramirez, Puncheon; Lambert.
Prediction: 1-0 to Chelsea
