Chelsea fans will be happy to see Brazilian star Estevao Willian in the starting lineup for tonight’s Premier League game against Leeds United at Elland Road. The 18-year-old winger keeps his spot after starting against Arsenal on the weekend.
For this midweek game, head coach Enzo Maresca has changed his lineup, but Estevao is likely to be a big part of the team again as the Blues try to get three points in West Yorkshire.
Robert Sanchez will stay in goal, and Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo, Benoit Badiashile, and Marc Cucurella will protect him. With Caicedo suspended, the midfield pivot will be made up of Enzo Fernandez and the skilled Andrey Santos, who will step in to keep things stable in the engine room.
Joao Pedro is the leading creative player in the attacking third, with Estevao and the fast Jamie Gittens on either side of him. As Maresca uses the depth of his squad during a busy winter schedule, Liam Delap takes over as the only striker.
Meanwhile, Cole Palmer and Reece James are on the bench, ready to come in and give the team a boost if needed.
Enzo Maresca speaks about Chelsea wonderkid Estevao
Before the game, Maresca said he was sure Estevao could handle the physical demands of English football, even though he was only 18. He said:
“I still think the same. He’s doing very good, he’s doing very well. It’s not easy. We said already for a 17-18 year-old player to arrive here in Europe with a big club like Chelsea and show immediately the quality that he has. We are very happy with him.”
The manager also talked about how the midfield would have to change because Caicedo wasn’t there, and he backed Andrey Santos to step up:
“Andrey is ready. His position is playing as a No. 6, like Moi [Caicedo], but he is ready.”
The Italian coach stressed that the match is crucial in the title race, even though Leeds has been struggling lately.
“How many points beating Barcelona? Three points. How many points beating Arsenal? Three points. How many points beating Leeds? Three points. It’s important to beat Leeds, because we need to win games.”
Chelsea enter the contest in strong form, unbeaten in their last four Premier League outings and fresh off a gritty 1-1 draw against Arsenal while a man down.
In contrast, Daniel Farke’s Leeds side are desperate to arrest a slide that has seen them drop into the bottom three. The Blues will be looking to exploit Leeds’ fragile confidence while navigating a hostile away environment without key enforcer Moises Caicedo.