According to a report by The Chelsea Chronicle on Thursday, October 29, 2026, Estevão Willian was once again absent from Chelsea’s starting lineup for their Carabao Cup meeting with Liverpool at Anfield. The decision continued a difficult campaign for the Brazilian, who has made only two starts this season and is yet to start a Premier League match.

Considering Chelsea’s need for goals in certain matches, his lack of involvement may raise questions among supporters. However, manager Xabi Alonso appears to be balancing several considerations, including competition within his attacking department, the winger’s recovery from a hamstring injury, and his ability to meet the team's defensive demands.

1. Established attacking players are ahead of him

Alonso has regularly favoured a 3-4-2-1 system, leaving space for just three players in the attacking positions. João Pedro, Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer have emerged as strong candidates for those roles.

Pedro has enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring five goals and supplying three assists in the Premier League. Rogers has also been productive, finding the net four times, while Palmer remains an important figure in the manager’s attacking plans.

With Palmer suspended for the Liverpool encounter, the Carabao Cup fixture appeared to present Estevão with an opportunity to enter the starting lineup. However, Alonso opted against selecting him from the beginning.

That decision suggests that although competition for places is a significant obstacle, it may not be the only reason behind the youngster’s restricted playing time.

2. His fitness remains an important consideration

Another possible explanation is Chelsea’s determination to manage Estevão carefully following the hamstring injury he sustained towards the end of last season.

Alonso has previously addressed the issue, explaining to The Standard that the intensity of English football requires players to be physically prepared.

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

The manager’s remarks indicate that the club remains conscious of the Brazilian’s recovery process and is taking steps to avoid placing excessive demands on him too soon.

Consequently, Chelsea may continue to introduce Estevão gradually rather than immediately handing him a consistent starting role. His opportunities could increase as his fitness and ability to cope with the demands of the Premier League improve.

3. His tactical role could favour Pedro Neto

Defensive responsibilities may also influence Alonso’s selection decisions, particularly when choosing between Estevão and Pedro Neto on the right side of the attack.

Both players can operate in that position, but Neto’s ability to contribute as both a winger and a wing-back could make him particularly valuable in Alonso’s system.

The Chelsea manager has described Neto as a winger who can also perform the wing-back role, highlighting the Portuguese international’s versatility.

Such flexibility can be important in a system that demands attacking penetration while maintaining defensive stability. Nevertheless, Estevão’s commitment should not be questioned solely because he has struggled to secure a starting place.

FotMob statistics referenced in the original report indicate that the Brazilian covered an average of 10.6 kilometres per 90 minutes last season, outperforming Neto’s average of 10 kilometres. He also registered a higher running distance.

While running statistics cannot fully measure a player's pressing effectiveness, defensive positioning or ability to track opposition players, they provide evidence that Estevão is capable of covering significant ground during matches.

His situation may therefore reflect Alonso’s tactical preferences rather than any lack of willingness to work defensively.

Ultimately, several factors appear to be limiting Estevão’s involvement at Chelsea, including the strength of the club’s attacking options, the need to manage his recovery and the manager’s tactical expectations.

The Brazilian possesses considerable attacking quality, but establishing himself as a regular starter will require him to demonstrate that he can deliver consistently both in possession and when Chelsea are defending.