Chelsea picked up a huge win against West Ham United in their London Derby.
The Blues were the favourites to win the game, but Paul Merson predicted a narrow victory for Chelsea and expected it to be a tough day at the office.
However, Enzo Maresca’s side absolutely battered the Irons, scoring five past them to secure their first win in the Premier League this season.
The Chelsea boss was very happy with the result, but he noticed that one of his players made a big mistake.
Enzo Maresca says West Ham scored against Chelsea because of Estevao’s mistake
Estevao Willian produced an impressive cameo against Crystal Palace on the opening day of the new season, and many believed that he deserved a start against West Ham as a result.
However, Maresca’s initial team sheet had the Brazilian on the bench, but an injury to Cole Palmer during warm-up opened the door for him.
Estevao ended up starting for the Blues, but after just five minutes, he made a mistake which gifted possession to West Ham.
Lucas Paqueta got on the ball and scored an absolute screamer to give his side the lead, and that could’ve given the Hammers real belief.
However, Chelsea came back strong and smashed five past them, so Estevao’s mistake didn’t matter in the end after all.
Maresca was asked about the youngster after the game, and the Blues boss blamed him for the goal.
“We conceded the goal because of him. He lost the ball in the build-up, so he needs to make mistakes to learn. But overall, the performance was very good,” he said, as per Football London.
Speaking about his reaction, Maresca added: “Yes, that showed how good he is and the reason why he’s here with us.”
Estevao looks on during a game between West Ham United and Chelsea in the Premier League
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Estevao’s stats for Chelsea vs West Ham
Estevao is still only 18 years old, and he was asked to start just before kickoff, when he was mentally prepared to be only a substitute.
That may have played a part in the mistake he made early on, but what’s important is the way he reacted. He was very impressive from that point on.
In his 77 minutes on the pitch, Estevao had 42 touches of the ball and completed 27 of his 33 attempted passes. He created three chances, one big chance and picked up an assist.
The Brazilian also completed two of his three attempted dribbles, won five of his eight ground duels, and he made three tackles as well. (Sofascore)
Estevao’s performance on Friday night, despite his error, showed why Chelsea signed him, and he has the potential to become a star in the Premier League in the coming years.