Estevao Willian dazzled for Chelsea in their 2-0 win over Manchester United on Saturday afternoon and many will feel the winger has done enough to keep his place against Sunderland
Estevao Willian
Estevao Willian will be hoping for back-to-back Premier League starts for the first time this season(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC)
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Ask any Chelsea supporter whether Estevao Willian should keep his place in the side when the Blues travel to the Stadium of Light at the weekend. The majority will probably tell you: "Yes, of course".
Reporters will ask Xabi Alonso a similar question in this week's pre-match press conference. The Chelsea manager, though, won't be as emphatic in his response. Instead he will be a lot more guarded and secretive with what he says.
Alonso will be mulling over his options in the next few days after Estevao impressed in the Blues' 2-0 win over Manchester United on Saturday afternoon.
After such a display, one might presume the 19-year-old winger will be involved from the start away at Sunderland on Sunday. Alonso, however, often talks about taking each game with context. A trip to the Stadium of Light has all sorts of context.
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It is usually a raucous atmosphere at Sunderland's home, as Chelsea found out on the final day of last season, especially when a big team come to town. Even with the Black Cats bottom of the Premier League table going into the weekend, the home fans are likely to make themselves heard.
Should Estevao Willian start for Chelsea against Sunderland?
Estevao Willian
Estevao Willian
That is one thing to take into consideration. Another is Sunderland's physicality. Regis Le Bris' players love a duel - only Nottingham Forest (474), Manchester City (480), Brentford (481), Leeds United (492) and Tottenham (499) have won more duels than Sunderland (468). Chelsea are next on the list with 464.
It has all the hallmarks to be a physical, scrappy game on Wearside. When Alonso wasn't using Estevao as much as the Brazilian would have liked, the Chelsea manager referenced - speaking after last week's defeat to Liverpool - the physical aspect of the Premier League as one of the reasons he was continuously being left out of the starting line-up.
Estevao Willian
Estevao Willian made his first Premier League start of the season for Chelsea in their win over Manchester United(Image: Pedro Porru/MB Media)
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Alonso said: "Yes, we know that the Premier League and the game in England is really intense. You need to be up for it.
"Este has played, for sure, it's his second season. But he had the injury and he's in that process. Trust me, I'm sure the season is going to be long and Este is going to play his role."
It will be interesting to see whether Alonso takes Sunderland's physicality and intensity into consideration when picking his XI at the weekend. If so, then Estevao could return to the bench.
However, Alonso will want his Chelsea team to leave their mark on the game and play the football they want to play. In an ideal world, that would mean as much control as possible and not the frantic, intense match that Le Bris might prefer.
In that scenario, Estevao is the perfect option for the right-hand side of attack, as we saw against Manchester United on Saturday. Estevao shone for the Blues and did virtually everything but score - much to his frustration after two disallowed goals - at Stamford Bridge.
Alonso was delighted with how the Brazil international performed at the weekend and described it as the "best response" to being left out of the team.
Estevao Willian
Estevao Willian shone for Chelsea against Manchester United(Image: Chris Lee - Chelsea FC)
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Reflecting on Estevao's performance, the Chelsea boss said: "You ask me, but sometimes I can't give you all the info [going into the United game]. We spoke after Tottenham and he knew that he was going to be playing today.
"He has had the best response to show that he deserves more, that he was prepared and that's what you want from a football player, so I'm very happy for him. He deserved to enjoy his game, he had a good connection with the crowd.
"He was really close to scoring that goal. At the end he fought really hard, he was tired and it has been a good day for him."
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