According to a report by The Chelsea Chronicle on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Estevão Willian was left out of Chelsea’s starting lineup for their Carabao Cup clash against Liverpool at Anfield. The Brazilian winger has started only twice this season and is yet to start a Premier League match.

Several factors could explain his limited playing time under head coach Xabi Alonso, including competition for places, injury management and tactical requirements.

Alonso has regularly used a 3-4-2-1 formation, which limits the number of attacking positions available. João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer have all impressed, making it difficult for Estevão to secure a regular place.

Pedro has scored five Premier League goals and provided three assists, while Rogers has contributed four goals. Palmer also remains central to Chelsea’s attacking plans.

Although the cup match against Liverpool offered an opportunity for rotation, Estevão still failed to start, suggesting other factors may be influencing Alonso’s decisions.

The winger’s injury history is another consideration. He suffered a significant hamstring injury towards the end of last season, and Alonso has acknowledged that Chelsea are carefully managing his recovery.

“The Premier League and the game in England is really intense,” Alonso said, according to The Standard. “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.

Chelsea may therefore be cautious about increasing his workload too quickly.

Tactical flexibility could also favour Pedro Neto, who can operate as both a winger and wing back. His ability to contribute defensively may make him better suited to certain matches.

However, figures from FotMob cited in the report show that Estevão covered an average of 10.6 kilometres per 90 minutes last season, compared with Neto’s 10 kilometres.

Ultimately, Estevão’s limited opportunities appear to reflect competition, fitness management and tactical demands. The youngster will need to convince Alonso that he can contribute consistently in both attacking and defensive phases to earn more regular starts.