[Chelsea](https://chelseanews.com/) like their chances of being sleepers to compete for the Premier League and Champions League titles this season, and while Wednesday afternoon’s 2-2 draw with Qarabag was definitely a setback, it has to be kept in mind that the Blues are playing without a literal Ballon d’Or caliber player in Cole Palmer.
Meanwhile, they have another, even younger gem breaking out as that level of a player, as Estevao Willian added to his legend once again by scoring a goal and shining as the team’s best player on that Champions League night.
Estevao’s been doing this all season long, and at the age of 18, his numbers have to be seen to be believed. This gem on the wings is averaging an incredible 0.84 expected goals and expected assists per 90 minutes in the Premier League.
Basically, he’s averaging nearly an expected goal contribution per game, and what makes that number so impressive is the fact that it is lapping the competition, which includes much more experienced players.
No other player is even within 0.3 expected goals and assists per 90 on the wings. The next best is Liverpool star Cody Gakpo and Bournemouth’s David Brooks at 0.53.
It’s scary how good Estevao already is compared to everyone else – and not just at the skills, dribbling, and athletic stuff but the end product and the kinds of numbers that most 18-year-old players aren’t dominating the Premier League in.
Joe Soriano is the editor of _The Trivela Effect_ and a FanSided Hall of Famer who has covered world football since 2010. He’s led top digital communities like _The Real Champs_ (Real Madrid) and has run sites covering Tottenham, Liverpool, Juventus, and Schalke. He also helped manage _NFL Spin Zone_ and _Daily DDT,_ covering the NFL and pro wrestling.