In a disappointing game for Chelsea last night, Estevao Willian was the shining light.
He scored the Blues’ opening goal and remained their main threat throughout the game.
Chelsea starlet closing in on Premier League start after latest performance
Estevao in action for Chelsea.
Estevao in action for Chelsea. (Photo by Aziz Karimov/Getty Images)
For the Evening Standard, Dom Smith took up the idea that Estevao should be starting in the Premier League every week, on the basis of these strong showings when he’s given a chance.
“The 18-year-old now [Chelsea’s] top scorer this season and playing with an innocent absence of pressure while quickly refining a deadly efficiency of end product in the box. In his last seven games, he has four goals,” Smith wrote.
“Defenders can’t handle him, and Chelsea are well and truly reaping the rewards… The mercurial Estevao is setting the standard for his team-mates, the club’s most dependable attacker right now as they await Joao Pedro and Delap to hit top form and Cole Palmer to return from his groin injury.”
Now, with all that said this is actually the least likely weekend we see Estevao start in the Premier League for the simple reason that he flew all the way to Baku and played 90 minutes – only the second time he’s started and finished a game for us.
If the logic is to work him into the season slowly, then the one week you won’t blow up your plan and play him from the start is the week where he’s played a match 72 hours before.
So we will have to continue being patient, but there is no doubt that Estevao is closer than ever to Premier League starter status.
In other news…
Joe Cole has named the player he thinks would be his first name on the Chelsea team sheet – and surprisingly it isn’t Estevao, and it isn’t even Cole Palmer.
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