Chelsea starlet Estevao can help young Blues come of age in high-stakes Liverpool clash | OneFootball

The Brazilian starlet has impressed in his early days in west London, but could truly announce himself against the Premier League champions

Your matchday briefing on Chelsea, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dom Smith

Sign up

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Chelsea’s brightest young star was the fall guy when Robert Sanchez got himself sent off inside five minutes at Old Trafford, but he might just get the platform to be the main man when Liverpool come to visit.

Cole Palmer remains out until after the international break, and Joao Pedro has not only failed to score since before last month’s break, but he has also been carrying a knock.

There is little hope of Chelsea beating league leaders Liverpool at Stamford Bridge this afternoon without possessing the sort of potent counter-attacking threat that Crystal Palace and Galatasaray employed to inflict back-to-back defeats on Arne Slot’s previously juggernaut-like team.

Chelsea must grow up now, after three red cards in four games, and their way of doing so might just mean heaping responsibility upon the shoulders of their youngest player.

With Palmer out, Joao Pedro in need of a pick-me-up and Tyrique George looking more than a little bit lost up front as he deputises for Liam Delap, Maresca could, and probably should, turn to Estevao as he searches for a source of attacking inspiration.

When Estevao came on against Benfica on Tuesday, there were moments where he would jink between three or four bodies and run clear with the ball, his fleetfootedness and devastating pace too much for the Portuguese side to handle. Can Liverpool contain him? There is only one way to find out.

The teenager is far likelier to play on the right flank than as a No10, lacking the physical attributes needed to avoid fighting a losing battle with players at the top of the game in the Premier League such as Ryan Gravenberch or Virgil van Dijk.

Dancing: Willian Estevao was uncontainable against Benfica

Getty Images

Out wide, though, Milos Kerkez and/or Andy Robertson could be in for quite an evening. Estevao is a handful.

But while the visit of the defending champions could come a little early — perhaps years too early — for Estevao to be in the attacking lynchpin from central areas, Maresca indicated it is a role the Brazilian could well evolve into.

“Estevao reminds me a lot of Cole when Cole was with me in the Under-23s at [Manchester] City,” he said yesterday. “And when he was with us in the first team.

“I think Cole's path has been similar to Estevao's path in terms of starting wide as a winger. And then slowly, slowly you can move inside.

“The Premier League is completely different compared to other countries in the world. If you want to play in the middle, you need to be physically prepared.

“I think Cole now is like that. In the past he needed to develop that. And I see Estevao exactly in the same way.”

A winger today, a possible playmaker of tomorrow, Estevao is central to Chelsea’s plans, even if not central in the literal sense of the word.