West Bromwich Albion head coach Tony Pulis has reminded his players they will need to perform to the highest level if they are to take anything from their trip to Chelsea on Wednesday.

The Baggies visit Stamford Bridge unbeaten in three matches in all competitions and in pursuit of a third successive Barclays Premier League victory, but face a Chelsea team reinvigorated by the return of Guus Hiddink as interim manager.

Chelsea, who won 3-2 at The Hawthorns in August, have not lost any of the five matches since the departure of Jose Mourinho and returned to rampant form as they demolished Crystal Palace 3-0 in their most recent league outing on 3 January.

Pulis, therefore, is wary of the resurgent west Londoners.

“We know how tough the game against Chelsea is going to be,” he said. “They have wonderful players. We need to be at our best.
“We have been steady with the players in training ahead of the trip.”

Pulis is hopeful that Jonas Olsson and Victor Anichebe will be available for selection after recent hamstring injuries, and the Baggies head coach has been pleased with the effort shown by his players during a hectic period; West Brom will play six matches in 25 days between Wednesday and the meeting with Newcastle United on 6 February.

“I can’t fault the effort of the players,” he said. “They have worked really hard and we will now need to manage them over the next few weeks with two consecutive midweek games coming up. The lads are really fit and they keep going.”

Hiddink could be without his three first-choice striking options. Diego Costa picked up a minor knock during Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Scunthorpe United in the FA Cup and is rated “doubtful”, while Loic Remy (calf) and Radamel Falcao (groin) are also out.

Costa would represent a significant absence for Hiddink, under whom the Spaniard has blossomed. Having scored three league goals in 14 appearances prior to Hiddink’s arrival, Costa has equalled that haul in his two outings with the Dutchman as interim manager.

“I think he’s a very energetic, powerful personality. He’s focusing himself now in what he’s good at. And [scoring goals] is what he’s good at,” Hiddink said.

“He’s focusing on what he has to do,” Hiddink said. “Sometimes you lose your energy in things out of where you have to be. And [I told him] ‘don’t do that, don’t let people provoke you, don’t go into traps. Go and use your energy where you’re good at’.”

Eden Hazard (groin) is unlikely to be risked, while Nemanja Matic (concussion) is also a doubt and Oscar (toe) will be assessed ahead of the match.

Match Appointments
Referee: Anthony Taylor Assistants: S Long, D Cann Fourth Official: J Moss
Match Facts
– Chelsea have lost just one of their last six Barclays Premier League meetings with West Bromwich Albion (W3 D2 L1).
– West Brom have lost more BPL matches against Chelsea than versus any other opponent (14).
– Guus Hiddink has lost just one of his 16 matches in the competition (W12 D3 L1) and has the best win ratio of any manager to have taken charge of at least four matches (75%).
– Diego Costa has scored as many goals in two BPL matches under Guus Hiddink this season (three) as he had in 14 league appearances in 2015/16.
– Costa has had a hand in three goals (two goals, one assist) in three league outings against West Brom.
– The Baggies have not scored in the first 15 minutes of a league match since 18 May 2015, when Saido Berahino netted the opener against Chelsea, and are the only side yet to do so this season.
– West Brom have won their last two league matches and will be looking to win three in a row for the first time since November 2012 (four in a row, the third of which was against Chelsea).