Wednesday night’s Champions League match between Red Bull Salzburg and Chelsea will be Graham Potter’s first game in charge of the Blues. Due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, all Premier League games were postponed, including the debut of the new Blues manager at Chelsea against Fulham.
After losing to Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday, Thomas Tuchel’s final match in charge of the Blues, Chelsea will be seeking to pick up their first three points of the Champions League group stage.
Who Potter chooses for his first Chelsea XI to play the Austrian team on Wednesday will be highly intriguing. Will Potter start with the lineup he feels is his best or will he prepare for Sunday’s crucial match against Liverpool?
Potter makes his first significant selection in the middle of the field. Tuchel stated that it was crucial for Mendy to “take a breath” and that he had issues with his patella tendon, leaving him just physically fit enough for the bench. Kepa Arrizabalaga began the game against Zagreb.
The three-at-the-back system that the 47-year-old prefers is likely to include Wesley Fofana, Thiago Silva, and Kalidou Kouliably. Marc Cucurella, a former Brighton player, will be available for selection once more, with Reece James on the other flank.
Potter may start with Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic in the Chelsea midfield, and he has a lot of choices in the three attacking spots. While Mason Mount, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Raheem Sterling may be favoured, Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic will be vying for starts.
Mendy, Fofana, Silva, Koulibaly; James, Jorginho, Kovacic, Cucurella; Mount, Aubameyang, Sterling are among Potter’s potential starting lineup vs Chelsea.
