Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel has declared he is in "no rush" to select a first-choice goalkeeper between Kepa Arrizabalaga and Edouard Mendy.

Mendy had been long established as the club's number one prior to Potter's arrival at Stamford Bridge, playing a key role in the Champions League success in 2020-21, but has been absent from the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss' first two games in charge due to injury.

Kepa has stepped up in his place and Potter hailed the Spaniard's performance in Saturday's 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, his first win since taking charge.

Ahead of the Champions League clash against Milan, Potter was quizzed on who will be his first-choice option between the sticks but left the door open for both players to stake their claim.

"If you look at what we've got over the next six weeks, it's an incredible schedule, so I'm in no rush to name a number one or number two," he said.

"I thought Kepa did really well [against Crystal Palace]. He made a couple of big saves but also his distribution, in terms of his decision-making, was really strong.

"You need players to step up and perform and Kepa did that. I am really happy for him and he's played a big part in helping us record a strong three points."

"I want to get Edouard fit and ready to play and then we have two goalkeepers and in an ideal world, you let football decide. We've got two ones we trust and that's a good situation for us."

Chelsea sit rock-bottom of their Champions League group after the first two games, losing to Dinamo Zagreb in Thomas Tuchel's final game in charge, before being held to a 1-1 draw by RB Salzburg in Potter's first game at the helm.

That raises the importance of Wednesday's clash against Serie A champions Milan, but Potter is excited about the tough test that the Italian outfit present.

"They're a top team, as were Salzburg in terms of how competitive they were. Every game is different. It's a massive challenge for us and an exciting challenge for us," he added.

"We'll try for three points. It's important to win, but we're playing against a top opponent so we have to play well and create a good atmosphere. We're looking forward to it."

Graham Potter admitted Chelsea were "fortunate" not to have Thiago Silva sent off in their late 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Silva was caught in possession and deliberately handled the ball to prevent Jordan Ayew from breaking clean through on goal in Saturday's Premier League contest.

Palace, who were 1-0 up at that point through an early Odsonne Edouard goal, were furious that referee Chris Kavanagh only showed the 38-year-old defender a yellow card.

Patrick Vieira was himself cautioned by the official for refusing to let the matter pass, and opposite number Potter accepted Chelsea could have been a man light.

"It was a 50-50 one we've come out on the right side of I think," he said at his post-match news conference. "I think it's one that we've been fortunate with.

"The fact it's quite a way from the goal has maybe helped us a bit and there are covering defenders. But I can understand Patrick's frustration."

Vieira did not want to be drawn into discussing the performance of referee Kavanagh, but made clear his unhappiness at the decision.

"It's difficult for me to understand and accept it, so sometimes it's better for me to be really quiet and not talk about it," he told reporters.

"I don't want to talk about it because I believe the referee got it wrong. If I really say what I think, I will be in trouble. 

"It's better for me not to talk about it. I don't understand the decision and don't want to talk about it. There is a referee, there is VAR, and they are making decisions – we move on."

Palace's frustrations only heightened when Silva nodded down a Reece James pass for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to lash in Chelsea's equaliser before half-time.

In another cruel blow for the hosts, substitute Conor Gallagher – voted Palace's Player of the Year during last season's loan spell – scored a 90th-minute winner, ensuring Potter picked up a victory in his first league game in charge of Chelsea.

Having also recovered from behind to beat West Ham last month, Chelsea have won back-to-back league games after conceding first for the first time since December 2016.

"We're delighted with the result," Potter told BBC Sport. "It's a tough place to come. I thought we started quite well but conceded from the first action into the box.

"Credit to the boys, they recovered well and did not let their heads go down. It was nice to get an equaliser and get back in the game.

"We had to survive moments as they are a good side with dangerous players. To be a goal down and come away with three points is fantastic so credit to the players.

"There's character, that's for sure. They could've felt sorry for themselves after conceding the goal but the players stood up all the way through. There was a collective spirit among the players. We are delighted with the three points."

Aubameyang fired a blank in his first two Chelsea appearances, both coming in the Champions League, but found the net with a clinical half-volley on the swivel.

He has now scored on his first Premier League game for both Arsenal (against Everton in February 2018) and Chelsea, with this his fifth goal against Palace in the competition.

"It was an important goal," Potter said. "He has been working hard to get himself up to Premier League fitness and I have been really impressed with him. 

"But any forward will tell you it is important for them to score and it was an important goal for us."

Conor Gallagher's sublime last-minute strike earned Chelsea a 2-1 win against his former club Crystal Palace to give Graham Potter a winning start in the Premier League.

Second-half substitute Gallagher, who spent last season on loan at Selhurst Park, curled home in the 90th minute to win a game that Chelsea trailed early on.

Odsonne Edouard had given Palace the lead on home soil in Saturday's contest, only for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to net his first goal for Chelsea before half-time.

Palace felt Thiago Silva should have been sent off before assisting that Aubameyang equaliser, and their mood was not helped by former player Gallagher's late winner.

Chelsea head coach Graham Potter is raring to go against Crystal Palace, having had to endure an unusually long wait for his first Premier League game in charge.

Potter is set for a domestic debut on the bench after succeeding Thomas Tuchel, with clashes against Fulham and Liverpool prior to the international break postponed.

That has given the former Brighton and Hove Albion boss, appointed on September 8, a 23-day wait for his first domestic engagement, and Potter says his team are "itching to play" at Selhurst Park on Saturday.

"We used a bit of time to get to know people, but at the same time we're itching to play," Potter said at Friday's press conference. "We couldn't control anything in terms of how things have panned out, we've had to make the most of it.

"I'm sure it will be a nice one. It's a proper football stadium. The boys are ready and waiting to play.

"You've got to start somewhere and there are a lot of games to come. The group are looking forward to playing."

Christian Pulisic is relishing a "fresh start" at Chelsea and accepts he must now "prove himself" to new head coach Graham Potter.

The 24-year-old managed just one start across Chelsea's opening seven matches of the season prior to Thomas Tuchel being sacked and replaced by Potter.

Pulisic was a second-half substitute in Potter's only game so far – a 1-1 Champions League draw with Salzburg – before heading off for international duty with the United States.

After a frustrating time of things under Tuchel, Pulisic considers the arrival of former Brighton and Hove Albion boss Potter as a chance to kick-start his Stamford Bridge career.

"I'm feeling good going back, honestly," he told reporters following USA's 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. 

"I have a fresh start now, and I'm excited to play for the new manager. So I'm just looking forward to it. I just have to prove myself, as everyone does, and as I've done before."

Pulisic played 76 minutes of the stalemate in Murcia – his longest outing for club or country this term – in what was USA's final game before their World Cup campaign.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund winger did not look pleased at Gregg Berhalter's decision to take him off, but he was ultimately happy to build up his fitness. 

"I always want to be in the games," Pulisic said of his reaction to being substituted. 

"I was just trying to score goals and trying to win the game. But it's good to get some minutes in and I feel healthy."

USA failed to score in either of their friendlies this window, having also lost 2-0 to Japan, and Pulisic admits his side have to improve in certain attacking areas. 

"There's a lot of different ways to score goals, and I think there's times where we can put more crosses in the box," he said. 

"We can be more aggressive and more relentless going forward. I think [against Saudi Arabia] we had glimpses of it, but just didn't see it enough."

Leandro Trossard would be keen on reuniting with Graham Potter at Chelsea but said speculation on his Brighton and Hove Albion future "makes no sense" at this moment.

Belgium international Trossard has shone during Brighton's fine start to the Premier League season, scoring twice in six appearances, but the Seagulls are now set for new guidance.

Head coach Potter's departure for Chelsea will provide a challenge for Brighton, who appointed Roberto De Zerbi as his successor, and the new Stamford Bridge chief could raid his former club in future transfer windows.

Speculation has suggested Trossard is a player Potter would be keen to bring in, and the 27-year-old winger has opened the door for a move, though he made it clear it is pointless to discuss until any offer is made.

"I feel very good, we had a super start with Brighton," Trossard told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.

"I have evolved tremendously. I now know how the Premier League works. I've grown tremendously in that. Confidence, mentally, physically, I have become better. I have mastered the tricks now.

"Our coach did leave for Chelsea now but speculation about me following makes no sense. If the opportunity arises, I want to go. But I want to play and not sit on the bench."

Harry Kane remains at the centre of significant transfer speculation after the Tottenham striker failed to secure a move to Manchester City last year.

The England star appears more settled under Antonio Conte but has been linked with Bayern Munich recently.

Kane has started this Premier League campaign strongly, netting six goals in seven appearances.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA PLOTTING KANE-LUKAKU SWAP

New Chelsea boss Graham Potter wants to bring Harry Kane across town from Tottenham, claims Calciomercato.

The Blues boss is ready to offer Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku, currently on loan at Inter, as part of an exchange for Kane. The England forward's contract at Tottenham expires in 2024.

Chelsea are at the start of a new era after Potter replaced Thomas Tuchel, while they are set to appoint Salzburg's Christoph Freund as their new sporting director.

ROUND-UP

– Fichajes reports Atletico Madrid are desperate to add a versatile attacker to their squad next year, with Manchester United's Marcus Rashford, Brighton and Hove Albion's Leandro Trossard and Liverpool's Roberto Firmino on top of their wish list.

– Calciomercato claims Liverpool are considering a move for Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk. Newcastle United, Sevilla, Bayer Leverkusen and Ajax are also tracking the Ukrainian, according to CBS' Ben Jacobs. TalkSPORT reports that the Reds are also keeping an eye on Flamengo midfielder Joao Gomes .

– Manchester City are interested in a big-money move for Milan winger Rafael Leao next year, according to the Manchester Evening News.

– Football Insider reports West Ham have informed Manuel Lanzini he is free to leave the club in January.

– Former Italy international Fabio Cannavaro is close to a return to management with talks to take over at Serie B club Benevento progressing well, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Mikel Arteta has won the Premier League's Manager of the Month award after leading the Gunners to the top of the table during a perfect August.

Arsenal won their first five games of a Premier League season for just the second time last month, having previously done so in 2004-05, as well as earning plaudits for their attractive possession-based game.

Arteta's side narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification last season, but bolstered by the arrivals of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, have set the pace at the beginning of the new campaign.

Although the Gunners lost 3-1 at Manchester United in their first outing of September, falling narrowly short of winning their opening six top-flight games for the first time since 1947-48, they continue to lead Manchester City and Tottenham by a single point at the summit.

Arteta saw off competition from four other nominees to land the award, including former mentor Pep Guardiola and Graham Potter, who led Brighton and Hove Albion to a strong start in August before leaving for Chelsea.

Arsenal fared less well in the Player of the Month voting, however, with Jesus and captain Martin Odegaard missing out to the indomitable Erling Haaland after he scored nine goals in five August appearances.

Arteta has now won the Premier League's monthly coaching prize on three separate occasions (also September 2021 and March 2022), drawing level with the likes of Antonio Conte and Brendan Rodgers.

Kepa Arrizabalaga has vowed to seize the chance of a "fresh start" at Chelsea after the appointment of Graham Potter.

The Spanish goalkeeper was dislodged as Chelsea's first choice by Edouard Mendy when the Senegal international joined from Rennes in September 2020, and he has played a bit-part in the first team ever since.

Kepa played just 15 games last season, including two appearances as a substitute, but posted an impressive save percentage of 80.8, with Mendy managing just 70.8 per cent in his 49 games.

Mendy began this season as Thomas Tuchel's preferred choice between the sticks, but the sacking of the German head coach and subsequent appointment of Potter may mean there is a clean slate.

Now Kepa is hoping there is a chance for him to assert himself as a contender to keep the jersey, after playing in back-to-back Champions League games due to Mendy being injured.

"Last season, when I played I felt really well, but it was just 15 games or something like this," Kepa said, quoted on Chelsea's website. "It's not a big amount, so now when I have the opportunity, I try to do my best and to help the team like I do in the last games.

"I'm happy with my performances and happy again to enjoy the Champions League games on the pitch, so it's a fresh start, and I'm happy, and I will take it."

Chelsea have begun their European campaign with a 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb, followed by a home 1-1 draw with Salzburg in Potter's first game, so results could be better.

The Salzburg result on Wednesday was a blow, given Chelsea led their Austrian visitors but were pegged back by a Noah Okafor equaliser.

"There is frustration a little bit because we drew when we needed these points," Kepa said, "but we are improving, and it's just the beginning."

The arrival of Potter from Brighton and Hove Albion has come at a time when Chelsea's Premier League campaign has been put on hold, with fixtures against Fulham and Liverpool postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

It means the head coach must wait for his first league game at the helm, which should come at Crystal Palace on October 1. In the meantime, Potter is working behind the scenes on trying to lift the team.

Kepa said: "He is very positive in his mind, and he tries to give us this positivity. It's been two or three training sessions with the new manager, so it's just the beginning, but it's been a positive beginning and a good point to start."

Graham Potter opted for Cesar Azpilicueta ahead of recent arrivals Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana as Chelsea switched to 4-3-3 in their new head coach's first game.

The Blues operated in a 3-4-3 system for most of Thomas Tuchel's tenure, but the German was dismissed after an underwhelming start to the season.

Potter was convinced to leave Brighton and Hove Albion for Stamford Bridge and made three changes ahead of his first game at home to Salzburg in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Thiago Silva returned to the starting line-up, with club captain Azpilicueta partnering the centre-back as Potter decided to leave out Koulibaly and Fofana, who were recruited from Napoli and Leicester City respectively.

Jorginho came in to the midfield trio, along with Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount, while former Brighton defender Marc Cucurella replaced Ben Chilwell at left-back.

Chelsea continued with the same front three, though – Raheem Sterling, Kai Havertz and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up top, the latter making his home debut for the Blues.

The Blues lost 1-0 at Dinamo Zagreb in their Group E opener, which was Tuchel's 100th game in charge, and also his last.

Chelsea midfielder Jorginho says the dismissal of Thomas Tuchel came as a "surprise", revealing the Blues' players feel partly responsible for his exit.

The German coach was axed last week in the aftermath of a surprise defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League, which followed on from Premier League losses against Southampton and Leeds United during an underwhelming start to the season.

Chelsea moved quickly to appoint Graham Potter as Tuchel's successor at Stamford Bridge, with their first game under his guidance coming on Wednesday against Salzburg.

With last week's Premier League action postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Tuesday's pre-match news conference represented the first opportunity for questions on the managerial change.

Jorginho conceded it is something he has become accustomed to, with Potter the fourth Chelsea boss he has worked under, but says he was caught off guard by the latest switch.

"It's happening a lot, as everyone knows. We're adapting to the new coach, we're very excited to work with him and his staff. It's been quite good the first few days," he said.

"Of course, we had a great time with Thomas, we appreciate everything he did for us, for the club, for the fans, now we have a new challenge to look forward to and we're very excited.

"It was a surprise for everyone. What has been said between the players will stay there, sorry.

"There's always talking around what has happened, but now we have games coming and life is quick, so we don't have much time to stay and think. We need to concentrate on what we need to do."

Jorginho was then asked about Tuchel's repeated criticism of the team in the build-up to his departure, and the midfielder admitted there is work to do.

"It was his feeling, he said that to us as well. We tried to do what we could, we tried to do our best, it's what we do," he added.

"Unfortunately, it wasn't working anymore and the challenge now is to rebuild the confidence because Chelsea are a big club, we have a lot of work to do and to do that we need to work with everyone moving in the same direction.

"Of course, we feel responsible, we were a team, it's not one person who is responsible for what happened, everyone is responsible."

Graham Potter admitted the chance to manage Chelsea was too good to turn down.

Potter left Brighton and Hove Albion to take over as head coach at Stamford Bridge last week after Thomas Tuchel had been sacked by the London club.

Speaking at his first press conference as Chelsea boss ahead of the Champions League group stage clash against Salzburg, Potter said he was grateful for the trust the club's new owners put in him and is looking forward to getting started.

"You have to look at the football club here, the tradition, the quality, the size, the ambition of the club, to compete in the Champions League, to compete at the top of the Premier League," he said when asked why he left Brighton for this opportunity.

"It's a completely different challenge to the ones I've had.

"I'm very thankful for the ownership here, putting their trust in me and believing in me, to work with an exciting group of players, to be competitive, and to put a team on the pitch that supporters are really proud of.

"I'm very excited, as you can imagine, and looking forward to getting going."

The 47-year-old, who has also managed Swedish side Ostersund and Swansea City, admitted it has been a quick transition from one job to another, speaking just nine days after his former Brighton team had impressed with a 5-2 thrashing of Leicester City.

"It feels like nine weeks, or nine months!" he exclaimed.

"The beauty of football is you never know what's round the corner. Things happen quickly.

"It's been a whirlwind in terms of getting to know people, leaving Brighton, learning about the players, getting to know them, but so far it's been really positive, my first impressions have been really good. I'm looking forward to starting."

Potter is widely admired in the game for his style of football. Since the start of last season, only Liverpool (11.4) and Manchester City (9.9) have averaged more high turnovers per game than Brighton (9.8) in the Premier League.

He insisted he wants a team at Chelsea that plays his desired way, but also plays to win.

"The team that I'd like to see is one that is balanced in terms of attack and defence, a humble team, a respectful team that runs hard and fights," he added. 

"We want to entertain, of course we do, but we also want to win. I'm respectful of the Premier League, I'm respectful of our opponents, there's a lot of teams that want to do the same thing.

"We want to create our own team, our own identity so it's recognisable, and supporters understand what we're trying to do, can see what we're trying to do, and we'll fight every day for it."

There was no shortage of thrills and spills on matchday one of the Champions League, and Wednesday's action promises more of the same as one of the world's most in-form strikers faces his former club.

Erling Haaland has made a spectacular start to his Manchester City career, hitting 12 goals in all competitions since his move from Borussia Dortmund, but how will he fare when his old team visit the Etihad Stadium? 

Elsewhere, Graham Potter will hope to have an immediate impact in his first game as Chelsea's head coach as they bid to bounce back from last week's 1-0 defeat to Dinamo Zagreb.

Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, meanwhile, are among the favourites to be crowned European champions, and will both be hopeful of making it two wins from two outings.

Ahead of another intriguing set of European ties, Stats Perform trawls through the Opta data to highlight the most noteworthy facts for each game.

Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund

City striker Haaland netted 15 times in 13 Champions League appearances for Dortmund, and few would bet against the Norwegian haunting his former team on Wednesday.

Haaland helped himself to a brace at Sevilla last time out, bringing him to 25 Champions League goals in just 20 appearances – the highest tally managed by any player in their first 20 games in Europe's premier club competition. 

The visit of BVB will represent a landmark outing for City boss Pep Guardiola, taking him to 150 Champions League games. Only five other coaches have reached that tally, while only two have earned more victories than Guardiola's 94 – Alex Ferguson (102) and Carlo Ancelotti (99).

The omens are certainly good for the Premier League champions, who are unbeaten in their last 20 Champions League home games, winning 18 and drawing two. That represents the longest such sequence by an English side since Chelsea's run of 21 without defeat between September 2006 and December 2009.

Dortmund, meanwhile, have not won at an English side in the competition since beating Arsenal 2-1 in October 2013.

Chelsea v Salzburg

Defeat to Dinamo Zagreb spelled the end of Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea reign last week, and Potter is the man entrusted to ensure they avoid back-to-back continental defeats when Salzburg visit.

Chelsea have never previously lost their opening two games of a Champions League campaign, and last lost consecutive games in the competition in 2019-20, when they were beaten by Bayern Munich in both legs of a last-16 tie.

This will be the first meeting between Chelsea and Salzburg, with the Blues only losing one of their previous four European ties against Austrian teams (W1 D2). Salzburg, meanwhile, have never beaten an English side in European competition in six attempts (D1 L5).

But the Blues will have to be wary of Matthias Jaissle's young guns at Stamford Bridge, and may need to keep a particularly close eye on Noah Okafor. 

The 22-year-old has four goals in his last five Champions League outings for Salzburg – only Haaland (eight) has ever scored more for the club in the competition.

Real Madrid v RB Leipzig

Holders Madrid are looking to secure consecutive wins when they host RB Leipzig at the Santiago Bernabeu, and are unbeaten in their last 11 Champions League games against German opponents, scoring at least two goals in all of those matches (27 in total).

Leipzig, however, are unbeaten in their three European clashes with Spanish sides (W2 D1) and will be looking for a result comparable to their 2-1 quarter-final win over Atletico Madrid in 2019-20.

Los Blancos possess a remarkable amount of experience at the highest level; should Luka Modric feature, he will become the first 37-year-old outfield player to play a European Cup/Champions League game for Madrid since Ferenc Puskas in November 1965 against Kilmarnock.

Coach Ancelotti, meanwhile, is on the brink of his 100th win in the Champions League, and could become just the second boss to bring up such a century in the competition (after Alex Ferguson with 102).

Maccabi Haifa v Paris Saint-Germain

Kylian Mbappe scored a terrific brace to get PSG's European campaign off to a flying start against Juventus, and a trip to Maccabi Haifa gives him the opportunity to make club history.

The striker has scored 29 goals in 45 Champions League outings with PSG, scoring against 14 of the 17 opponents he's faced with the French champions. One more goal will see him level Edinson Cavani's record of 30 goals in the competition for the Ligue 1 side.

He could be aided by the in-form Neymar, who has provided eight assists for Mbappe in the Champions League, more than any player has assisted another in the competition since the start of 2017-18.

The final member of their revered forward trio, Lionel Messi, also has his eyes on making history.

Messi has scored against 38 different teams in the Champions League, the same amount as his great rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and will be keen to claim the record outright when he faces Maccabi for the first time on Wednesday.

Other fixtures:

Rangers v Napoli

1 – Wednesday's rearranged match will be the first competitive meeting between Rangers and Napoli. The Serie A side have only faced a Scottish team in European competition once before, exiting to Hibernian in the Fairs Cup in November 1967.

3 – Piotr Zielinski was directly involved in three of Napoli's four goals as they thrashed Liverpool last week (two goals, one assist). This is already his best campaign for goal contributions in the competition since joining Napoli.  

Milan vs Dinamo Zagreb

6 - Milan have failed to win any of their last six home games in the Champions League (D3 L3), their longest run without a home victory in the competition.

31.8 – Dinamo Zagreb had just 31.8 per cent possession against Chelsea on matchday one, the lowest of any team who managed to avoid defeat in their opening game.

Shakhtar Donetsk v Celtic

3 – Shakhtar's Mykhailo Mudryk was one of three players to be directly involved in three goals on matchday one (one goal, two assists), along with Robert Lewandowski and Zielinski.

1/13 - Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart has only kept one clean sheet in his last 13 away Champions League games, with his last coming at Roma in December 2014 (for Manchester City).

Copenhagen v Sevilla

8 - Spanish sides are unbeaten in all eight of their Champions League games against Danish clubs (W6 D2) – only against sides from the Czech Republic (13) have Spanish teams appeared more often without defeat.

3/4 - Sevilla have lost three of their last four Champions League group-stage games (W1), as many as they lost in their previous 22 such matches (W10 D9).

Juventus v Benfica

2 - Juventus have lost their last two Champions League games. Only once in the history of the European Cup/Champions League have they lost three in a row, doing so between May 1968 and September 1972.

4 – Benfica's Alejandro Grimaldo has been involved in four goals in his last four Champions League games (one goal, three assists), more than he was in his first 27 games in the competition (two goals, one assist).

Thomas Tuchel was left "devastated" by his Chelsea dismissal, as he thanked the club's players and fans for their support in a heartfelt social media post on Sunday.

Chelsea sacked Tuchel in the aftermath of a 1-0 Champions League defeat at Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday, announcing Brighton and Hove Albion's Graham Potter as his successor the following day.

Tuchel led Chelsea to Champions League glory just four months after his January 2021 appointment. He then added the Super Cup and Club World Cup trophies last season, as well as overseeing penalty shoot-out defeats to Liverpool in both of the EFL and FA Cup last season

Despite outspending every other Premier League club in the recent transfer window, however, Chelsea took just 10 points from their opening six games of the new Premier League season, prompting the club's new owners – led by Todd Boehly – to make a change.

Tuchel has now expressed his regret at lasting less than two years in the Stamford Bridge dugout, writing on Twitter: "This is one of the most difficult statements I have ever had to write - and it is one which I hoped I would not need to do for many years. 

"I am devastated that my time at Chelsea has come to an end.

"This is a club where I felt at home, both professionally and personally. Thank you so much to all the staff, the players and the supporters for making me feel very welcome from the start.

"The pride and joy I felt at helping the team to win the Champions League and the Club World Cup will stay with me forever. 

"I am honoured to have been a part of this club's history and the memories of the last 19 months will always have a special place in my heart."

Tuchel oversaw 100 games as Chelsea boss in all competitions, winning 60. In the Premier League, meanwhile, only Antonio Conte (68.8) Jose Mourinho (66) and Carlo Ancelotti (63.2) have bettered Tuchel's win rate of 55.6 per cent when leading the Blues for a minimum of 50 matches.

In 589 days in charge of Chelsea, Tuchel led the club to four major finals (2x FA Cup, League Cup, Champions League) – no coach has taken charge of the Blues in more finals, with Mourinho also leading them to four.

Chelsea also kept 49 clean sheets in Tuchel's 100 matches at the helm, the highest tally among Premier League clubs during that time (in all competitions).

For all his early successes, however, Tuchel oversaw a noticeable decline in the second half of his tenure.

In all competitions, Tuchel's first 50 games yielded 32 victories, 11 draws and seven defeats, with just 24 goals conceded. In the subsequent 50, Chelsea managed fewer wins (28) and over double the amount of goals conceded (53).

Graham Potter is sure Brighton and Hove Albion remain in "great hands" after penning an emotional open letter to the club's fanbase following his move to Chelsea.

The 47-year-old replaces Thomas Tuchel as boss at Stamford Bridge, with the clubs new owners – led by Todd Boehly – opting to make a change after an indifferent start to the season.

Chelsea have won three, lost two and drawn one from six Premier League games, while their Champions League campaign started with a shock 1-0 loss at Dinamo Zagreb.

Potter quickly emerged as favourite and was appointed to the role on Thursday, although his first match in charge was delayed after Premier League fixtures were postponed this weekend as a mark of respect following the death of the Queen.

On Sunday, Brighton published a letter written by Potter where he highlighted some of his greatest moments at the club, including victories against Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United.

"We have shared some brilliant moments. The 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in my first season stands out," he wrote.

"So too, the 2-1 win over Arsenal after lockdown. It was an amazing afternoon, especially given what many had gone through in the preceding months. My only wish was that our supporters had been there to enjoy that with us.

"When the stadiums were partially opened we experienced an incredible atmosphere for the 3-2 win over Manchester City in the final home game of the 2020-21 season.

"I know many of you enjoyed the 4-0 win over Manchester United last season. We finished that season with a 3-1 win over West Ham on the final day to seal a record-points tally for the club and a highest-ever league position. These are great memories."

Potter added his "congratulations" to whomever his successor may be, saying the club's hierarchy is in a strong position.

"Albion fans know that with Tony [Bloom], Paul [Barber] and David [Weir] the club is in safe hands. To my successor, whoever that may be, I would say, congratulations. You'll be working for a great club with a fantastic squad, supported by a great chairman and board," he added.

"The squad are playing at a high level and will get better. Most of all, the supporters will get behind the team home and away.

"To everyone at Brighton and Hove Albion: thank you. It has been a pleasure and honour to serve the club over the last three years. I wish you every success going forward."