Before football.london got the chance to finish the question, Xabi Alonso interrupted. He knew the questions regarding Estevao Willian were coming. It was almost like the Chelsea manager had his answer prepared.

"Well, we started with Pedro [Neto], with Danny [Welbeck] and with Morgan [Rogers] up front," explained Alonso when asked why Estevao didn't feature at all in Chelsea's Carabao Cup fourth round tie with Liverpool.

"The game had very intense moments," the Blues manager continued. "We knew that it was going to be physical. And after we had to deal with Moi [Caicedo], he had little problems, Malo [Gusto] as well, he had cramps. So we were a little bit forced with substitutions.

"And now we know that the season is going to be long, and there will be moments for everyone."

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That last line, that is the one Alonso has been consistent with in regards to Estevao throughout the season. Alonso went on to explain how Estevao wasn't pleased with his situation - understandably so given the Brazilian has been an unused substitute in two of Chelsea's last three matches in all competitions (and three times this season).

"I understand his situation and that he could be happier for sure," said Alonso. "Every player wants to play, wants to be part of the team.

"We have had some intense games and there will be moments for everything. I'm sure that Este will have his moment. It's my responsibility and we need to deal with that."

When that moment will be remains uncertain. Chelsea were playing with a handicap without the likes of Cole Palmer (suspension) and Joao Pedro (thigh injury) at Anfield, yet Estevao didn't get a sniff. Alonso made four subs - Emmanuel Emegha, Valentin Barco, Marco Palestra and Levi Colwill all coming on - but Estevao was left to warm up in front of the travelling Chelsea supporters who were absolutely desperate to see the 19-year-old enter the action.

There were multiple chants of the Brazil international's name during the second-half but that didn't convince Alonso to summon the winger.

The away fans couldn't have been clearer in their support for Estevao, who enjoyed a wonderful debut season in England last time around, and likewise the vast majority of the Chelsea supporters online. Alonso's post-match press conference was dominated by questions on Estevao and his pre-match presser on Friday is set to be a carbon copy.

Alonso's Chelsea now have just the Premier League to focus on until the FA Cup third round comes along at the start of 2027. In the aftermath of the agonising defeat to Liverpool, Alonso claimed the Carabao Cup to be the "least significant competition" for the Blues this season, but it felt as if there was a real opportunity of getting far this time around - especially with Arsenal crashing out to League Two opposition Fleetwood Town 24 hours prior.

Now, though, Alonso's attention quickly switches to Saturday with Manchester United - the Premier League's 'crisis club' at the time of writing - the visitors to Stamford Bridge.

The Spaniard has plenty of big decisions to make in relation to his team selection, not least the No.9 position. Joao Pedro remains absent with a thigh injury. Danny Welbeck started against Liverpool but was quiet before being replaced by Emegha, who made a case to Alonso.

The Dutch striker made his competitive debut for the Blues following his summer move from Strasbourg and was bright in his cameo appearance, although there was a heartbreaking moment. With the penalty shootout level at 5-5, Ryan Gravenberch missed his spot kick and with Chelsea going second, Emegha had a golden opportunity to make it an unforgettable debut and send the Blues into the last eight of the Carabao Cup.

However, Emegha couldn't beat Giorgi Mamardashvili and the shootout essentially reset (and you know the rest). It was still an unforgettable debut for Emegha but not for the right reasons.

In the game itself, the Netherlands international was very lively. He produced some excellent hold-up and link-up play, made some dangerous runs in behind, while he also proved to be a nuisance to the Liverpool defence. And especially Virgil van Dijk.

In a bizarre moment, just minutes after coming on, Emegha shoved Van Dijk, his Dutch compatriot, to the ground after the Liverpool captain passed the ball. Completely needlessly. Words don't do it justice when it comes to where it landed on the needless scale.

While that was a tad immature from Emegha, the 23-year-old striker also showed his grown-up side during the penalty shootout. After Barco hit the post, instead of letting the disgruntled Argentine midfielder walk back to the centre circle on his own, Emegha walked over to him and offered him a shoulder to cry on before heading back to join their teammates.

It was a nice moment and something Alonso and his staff would have appreciated as they continue in their bid to transform the culture within the squad.

While Emegha made his claim to start on Saturday afternoon, the likes of Wesley Fofana and Malo Gusto did quite the opposite. Ironically, though, the former now has a big chance of featuring against Man United after Maxence Lacroix was taken off with a hamstring injury.

We await to hear more on Lacroix's injury but because it was his hamstring, that automatically makes him doubtful for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off. Fofana could keep his place in the team because of that. If that is the case, Alonso needs to see a drastic improvement.

The penalty miss is what it is. Players miss penalties under pressure. Central defenders definitely miss penalties under pressure. In many ways, that's by the by. Alonso won't be too fussed - in the grand scheme of things - with the miss from 12 yards.

Fofana giving away a penalty, though, in the manner that he did, is pretty unacceptable. The Frenchman effectively punched the ball in his own box in the first-half to allow Cody Gakpo the perfect opportunity to level proceedings just minutes after Chelsea went ahead through a penalty of their own.

As for his compatriot Gusto, the fact there were big cheers from the travelling supporters in the Anfield Road end when his number was raised on the fourth official's board probably tells you everything you need to know.

While Gusto was poor at Anfield, it is never nice to see/hear a moment like that. Granted, the supporters are frustrated and it's not like the Frenchman, who has been at Stamford Bridge for almost four years at this point, is a new signing settling in. Either way, you have to feel a bit of sympathy for Gusto.

Chelsea flew back from Liverpool on Wednesday night/early hours of Thursday morning. With Thursday being a recovery day at Cobham, Alonso will have one proper session with his players before the visit of Man United on Saturday afternoon.

There isn't a lot of time to prepare for Alonso but now Chelsea are out of the Carabao Cup, he won't have to worry about such tight turnarounds for a while.

It has been a pretty torrid week for Chelsea and Alonso. Suddenly, the feel-good factor the Spaniard brought with him to the club is somewhere in the distance. Suddenly, Saturday feels enormous.

It's not a make-or-break fixture for the season but it will go a long way in getting some supporters back onside. Not beating this current iteration of Man United, with the disarray the club are in at the time of writing, at home, would take this bad week to a new level.