Jon McCarthy says the onus is on him to make his Chester FC players realise the potential he believes they possess.

Chester have endured a tough start to the season, losing three of their five games in the National League so far, leaving them 19th.

Defeats to Gateshead, Maidstone United and Barrow all saw the Blues concede three goals but a 3-0 win over Dagenham & Redbridge, who have won their other four games so far, highlighted Chester’s promise.

A 1-1 draw at Boreham Wood on Saturday has given them a platform on which to build and stopped a run of two defeats. But Blues boss McCarthy says he has to convince his young squad of their potential and admitted his expectations were greater than theirs at present.

“There are perceptions around this football club of where we have been in recent years and where we should be in the standings,” said McCarthy. “But I’m not like that, I think that we can win every single game we play in.

“That is the group of players that I put together, I know that’s the level of work and training that we are doing and I have much higher expectations of this group of players than they have of themselves at the moment and that is a lot of the work that I have to do with them. I have to convince them how good they are.

“I really believe in this group of players that we will do something but I know we are effecting a lot of changes. Culturally, the environment which we are training in, with young players, that is something that will evolve over time.

“We don’t train as much as some of the other sides in the league and it takes a little bit of time. At some point we catch up, at some point we get to full speed. A little bit of belief can go a long way.”

Chester face the visit of third-placed Sutton United on Saturday (3pm) with the Londoners sure to provide another tough test for McCarthy’s side.

McCarthy could be boosted by the return of captain Luke George who played in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Port Vale on Tuesday while defender Ross Killock played 45 minutes as he steps up his recovery from a calf injury.

Striker James Akintunde is a doubt after injuring a hamstring in the warm up prior to Saturday’s draw at Boreham Wood meaning that McCarthy may only have one fit recognised striker, Kane Richards, at his disposal with James Alabi serving the final match of his three-match ban.

Alabi, who has two goals from three games this season, will be back in contention for the Bank Holiday Monday trip to Woking (3pm).

McCarthy is wanting to see his side build on their draw at Meadow Park on Saturday, where Elliott Durrell’s stunning halfway line strike earned a point, and believes a positive result against Sutton will see his side kick on.

“This weekend we want to get some more points on the board and get ourselves in a more stable position in the league, then I know what this group of players can do.”