Chelsea midfielder Romeo Lavia could make the squad for their upcoming game against Wolves.

The Premier League giants are hoping to rescue their campaign with a run of wins over the Christmas period.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino has guided his team to the Carabao Cup semi finals, but hopes that Lavia returning can boost their league form at the weekend.

"You guys are pushing with the players who are not playing," Pochettino told reporters on Friday.

"Lavia is in a similar position to Nkunku, you know? He arrived and never can make his debut. After nearly six months, maybe he will be involved with the team. He is doing well but he still needs time to get his best form.

"He's desperate to make his debut and he's pushing. But I want to make clear, with the players with a big period off, you know, out of the competition, they are desperate to be involved.

"But they cannot make the mistake. They can be involved – but in which way? In which form? At what level? It's easy to say, 'I want to play', but we are competing. This is a serious competition.

"After six months, like Nkunku, like him [Lavia], they need to understand they need to be involved, to train really, really hard every day. They need to be an impact every time they go to the pitch. It's not to say we are in a pre-season game and they go to the pitch and we say, 'if they perform well, if they don't perform well, then no problem', because six months.

"For many things it is an excuse, for many things, 'I want to play. If I don't have time I can't perform, but in the same time, to play with that'. You need to understand, the players need to understand that that is not a charity thing; that we are going to play football, we need to win.

"Sometimes the professionals feel so disappointed because they want to play. It's difficult to understand. The environment of the player, also, they say they are disappointed because Nkunku didn't play against Sheffield United.

"I am disappointed to have a player that should be an important player for us is not helping the team. If he didn't play, it is not because we don't believe in him, or in this case Lavia. It is because there are many other players fit and training in six months and in that moment maybe we need to decide, to make an impact with players that are more ready than these guys.

"We are not talking about names, or suppose he is going to be better than one [player]. We are talking about today, who is ready to compete and provide what we are expecting for the team.

"Maybe I am talking too much. But it's true. But come on, it's annoying me. Not you [the journalists]. The people around the player, 'Oh I wanted to play. I am disappointed'. Oh, come on. I am disappointed.

"The club is disappointed they are investing big to play, to score goals and when you are not scoring goals, okay we pay the salary every month if you don't play or you are injured. Who suffered for us? The coaches. Who suffered for the club? It's always [this]. No, come on. It's to get the right balance in this business. It's so important."