Estevao Willian can save season for Liam Rosenior but one big Chelsea change needs to be made

Estevao Willian has enjoyed a seamless adaptation at Stamford Bridge with the 18-year-old winger quickly becoming one of Chelsea's most dangerous attacking options

You should not have to rely on an 18-year-old to rally the troops in the midst of a crisis. But for Chelsea, that was the case on Saturday evening after Iliman Ndiaye found the top corner for Everton's third and final goal of the game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Blues players were dejected and were bickering with one another while the supporters around them erupted. Estevao Willian, just over five minutes after coming on for his first appearance in more than a month, ran beyond all of his Chelsea teammates to pick the ball up. A comeback, given the way the Blues were playing, was almost impossible but for Estevao, he felt it was his job to try and get his teammates going again.

The Brazilian teenager wanted much more from his colleagues. It was quite telling that he was the only one looking to try and force the issue in the final third in his cameo appearance. Estevao took the responsibility upon himself; he shouldn't have had to do that but it speaks volumes about the type of character he is.

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Chelsea knew the sort of person they were buying when they agreed a deal with Palmeiras, that could eventually rise to £52million, for Estevao to move to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2025. When Chelsea got drawn against Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-final last summer, all eyes would be on Estevao - in what would turn out to be his final match for the Brazilian club. A game where Estevao made himself the main headline with a fantastic solo goal to scare his future employers on the night, but excite them in the long run.

Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira told Chelsea exactly the sort of player and person they would be buying after the last-eight tie in Philadelphia: "I spoke before with [Enzo] Maresca. He is a nice coach and I told him, 'you bought an amazing player, but more than this you bought an amazing person'.

"He is a kid that is 18 years old so Chelsea needs to take care of him. They need to embrace him because in the beginning, for sure, he will make mistakes."

Ferreira was spot on with his verdict, though we have not seen too many "mistakes" as of yet. Estevao is by no means the finished package and that is the frightening part given his incredible attacking ability already.

No player has made more Premier League appearances under the age of 19 than Estevao this season. The Chelsea winger has featured 20 times in the English top-flight for the Blues, with Mateus Mane of Wolves on the same number of appearances.

He leads the way in terms of creating chances for those aged under 19 as well. Estevao has created 15 chances (including assists) for his teammates this term and his 29 dribbles completed have him on top of that list, in terms of under 19s, as well.

In all competitions (in the Premier League era, since 1992-93), Estevao has scored more goals before turning 19 than any other Chelsea player. But how has a teenager moving across the world made it look so seamless?

The Brazil international, who will be hoping to light up this summer's World Cup for Carlo Ancelotti's side, started taking intensive English lessons as soon as he arrived in the country. During the post-match press conference of Chelsea's win against Palmeiras last summer, journalists got the chance to speak to Estevao and while his English was not the best then (still very impressive, mind), it is said to have improved loads now.

While learning the language, it helps that he had Brazilian compatriots Joao Pedro and Andrey Santos alongside him. One source told football.london that Estevao considers them like his older brothers.

Joao Pedro recently said this in an interview: "Our relationship [with Santos and Estevao] will build more and more, we play here in Chelsea and with the national team. We travel together and train together. I spend more time with them than with my family!

"We are always close in the training ground, outside also we always try and do something together. Because we are Brazilian, we came here to do the same thing."

Estevao added: "We have a lot of time together. I love you! My adaptation was a lot easier because you guys were here to help me and then try to help me every day."

Estevao is very family-orientated, so when his parents and sister decided to move to the UK after he signed for Chelsea, that made things easier for the Blues winger. When he picked up the Young Player of the Year trophy at the London Football Awards earlier this month, Estevao was joined by his family at the event.

There is an abundance of excitement when it comes to Estevao, not only from supporters but also senior officials at Chelsea. They know they have struck gold with that signing.

Fans, though, want to see more. Since the turn of the year, they have been deprived of Estevao; mainly to do with injuries but also the club are picking their moments with the teenager and being perhaps a tad more cautious than they would be if it wasn't for his scary potential.

Under Liam Rosenior, Estevao has made nine appearances in all competitions. A hamstring injury, which he returned from recently, has limited his playing time, but he has only played a full match once since Rosenior took over from Enzo Maresca.

Asked by football.london in January, just a week after his appointment as Chelsea head coach, Rosenior spoke about the balance the club needs to find with Estevao's playing time. He said: "I understand why fans are frustrated when he's not on the pitch because when you see him on the pitch, he just does magical things.

"He's 18 years old, he's come from a completely different culture, completely different way of playing, different weather, different intensity.

"Protect is one word and I agree with that but 'look after' is probably a better term. I want him to have an outstanding career, I also want him to help us win now. There's a fine balance between the two."

Finding said balance is crucial for Rosenior between now and the end of the season. Chelsea's attack has picked the worst possible time to show signs of faltering - with the Blues failing to score in over three matches - and it needs a spark from somewhere.

You really do not have to look too far to find that spark, but Chelsea would need to change their approach with Estevao and how they are using him in order for him to essentially save their season. The Blues should never have found themselves in this position, but here we are. For Rosenior, it could be the path to go down to try and get some of those supporters back onside.