LONDON - In case they needed it, the short trip to Crystal Palace will re-focus Chelsea's globe-trotting players on matters at home as the Premier League slips back into gear this weekend.

This after the second international break of the season.

Like most of their league rivals, Chelsea's squad was scattered far and wide after their 2-0 home win over Arsenal on October 5, a result that left them five points clear after six wins and a draw in seven games.

The leaders will need no reminding, however, that modest Palace will have scant regard for Chelsea's clear squad superiority come tomorrow afternoon in southeast London.

A 1-0 defeat at Palace in late March, when John Terry's own goal sealed their fate, put a serious dent in Chelsea's title ambitions last season and had manager José Mourinho accusing some of his players of "disappearing" against certain low-key opponents.

It is unlikely to happen again, given the improvements Mourinho has made to his squad during the close season and the clear hunger of his side to reclaim the league trophy after an absence of four seasons.

Chelsea's German World Cup-winning forward André Schürrle said Mourinho's unrelenting will to win is one of the driving forces behind their blistering early season form.

"To him [Mourinho], finishing second is a failure," the 23-year-old told Bild.

"He doesn't know the word 'losing'. That's how he holds his talk before the matches."