We face the London club at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League, with an 20:00 kick-off (UK time).
Stones says there’s been a change of mindset from the players as they say goodbye to international football after the completion of the winter World Cup and hello to domestic football following the resumption of the Premier League.
And he stresses that the squad are focusing on the present moment and turning in good performances as the games come thick and fast.
On the change of mindset after the return of club football, he said: “There has to be. It is different styles of play and different game modes.
“Seven games to win a World Cup, we have got several different competitions here. It is definitely a switch in mindset and you put things at the back of your mind until the end of the season to reflect on what has happened.
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“You have got to focus on the here and now and that is the Premier League and what we can affect in the games that are coming up.
“The feeling around the dressing room is that everyone has got the same mentality, desire and focus on what we want to achieve this season.
“We take it game by game as we always have and hopefully we can keep picking up the crucial points.”
Next up is Graham Potter’s Blues on Thursday and Stones is looking to ‘get the job done’ against a team who we’ve had a ‘good battle’ with over many years.
He added: “We had a great game against them recently at home at the Etihad.
“We had a lot of young lads playing in that game and obviously we have got a lot of people back fit now which is a big boost for us as a squad.
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“It is never an easy place to go. Like any team in the Premier League, everyone wants points no matter where you are in the table.
“They are a team that we have had a good battle with for years and whether it is now or in the Champions League we have had good matches.
“I think it will be a difficult week playing them back-to-back, but hopefully we can get the job done.”
One player who’s excelled since the return of the club football is young 18-year-old starlet, Rico Lewis.
Lewis has started all three games – against Liverpool, Leeds and Everton – and Stones has urged him to ‘keep being a sponge’ when working with the first team squad.
He added: “I think when we have played or in training when we have trained with him it is about him learning the roles off the manager and learning what the manager wants from him.
“Then it is about us fine tuning what we have learnt over the years of playing.
“He has been really good at taking that advice and giving everything. As a young lad that is all you can do, just keep being a sponge by taking everything in, learning as much as you can and enjoying the experience.
“He has come up against some incredible strikers and forward players and that only does us well when we are coming up against Erling and Kevin and the same for him.
“The game time as a young kid is massive and he has done so well so far. Hopefully it can continue.”
