Raheem Sterling reverts to a wing-back position as Chelsea face Red Bull Salzburg in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.

With Reece James sidelined until Christmas, Graham Potter has been required to find alternative options in a troublesome area of the pitch out on the right.

After Sterling was used at left wing-back in the reverse fixture with Salzburg, it appears that he will occupy a similar position, with Christian Pulisic also taking on a different role on the opposite flank.

Potter has selected three central midfielders in Mateo Kovacic, Jorginho and Conor Gallagher, the indication being that Chelsea will line up in a 3-5-2 formation.

That should see Marc Cucurella start on the left-hand side of a back three, and Kai Havertz partner Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a front two.

As Chelsea continue their hectic run of fixtures, Potter has taken the decision to drop Cesar Azpilicueta, Ben Chilwell, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Mason Mount down to the substitutes' bench.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Sesko has only been selected among the replacements for Salzburg, who sit one point adrift of first-placed Chelsea in Group E.

Red Bull Salzburg: Kohn; Dedic, Bernardo, Pavlovic, Wober, Gourna-Douath, Seiwald, Sucic, Kjaergaard, Okafor, Adamu

Subs: Mantl, Walke, Van Der Brempt, Piatkowski, Baidoo, Kameri, Ulmer, Simic, Diarra, Sesko

Chelsea: Arrizabalaga; Chalobah, Silva, Cucurella; Sterling, Jorginho, Kovacic, Gallagher, Pulisic; Havertz, Aubameyang

Subs: Mendy, Bettinelli, Loftus-Cheek, Broja, Mount, Zakaria, Chilwell, Ziyech, Azpilicueta, Chukwuemeka

Written by
Darren Plant