According to a report by Football London on Tuesday October 27, 2026, despite changes to the team's attacking setup due to Joao Pedro's absence, Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso has explained why Estevao was not started in Saturday's match against Tottenham.

With the Brazilian forward Pedro set to miss a few weeks due to injury, Chelsea have suffered a huge setback. Not having him on the field is a major worry in the days leading up to crucial matches against Manchester United and Liverpool.

Instead of starting Danny Welbeck in Pedro's place, Alonso moved Morgan Rogers into the middle of the attack. The manager's choice of Geovany Quenda for the number ten position surprised many supporters who had Estevao in mind.

Estevao was relegated to the bench, while Quenda made his Chelsea debut. Although Chelsea scored twice in the last minutes of the game, the Brazilian did not enter the game until the 72nd minute, when he replaced Quenda.

In an interview given by Chelsea's press conference prior to their Carabao Cup match against Liverpool at Anfield, Alonso was questioned about the decision to bench Estevao and Welbeck in the match against Tottenham.

The Spanish manager gave an explanation for his choice, saying that he takes the team's preparations and available options into account when deciding on the starting eleven.

When I have to choose a team for a game, I think about all the possibilities, including how we've been training all week. It was the same situation on Saturday, and it will be the same tomorrow, according to Alonso.

Due to Pedro's injury and Cole Palmer's absence from Wednesday's cup match, Estevao is likely to start for Chelsea again against Liverpool.

In Chelsea's past two Carabao Cup matches, against Luton Town and Leeds United, the youthful Brazilian has started from the start. Nevertheless, he was replaced during halftime of the team's thrilling 6-3 triumph over Leeds.

Anfield could see Welbeck, Rogers, and Estevao as Chelsea's attacking trio, with Wesley Fofana, Valentin Barco, Marco Palestra, and Roméo Lavia also being considered for starting roles.

Some have criticized Alonso for substituting multiple players at once in prior matches, such as Chelsea's loss to Brentford and their lackluster first half performance against Leeds.

But he isn't exactly stocked up on options before the Liverpool game due to suspensions and injuries. Chelsea may start a drastically different lineup without Pedro, Palmer, Emi Martinez, Reece James, or Jamie Gittens due to injuries.

It will be up to Alonso to find the optimal lineup to keep Chelsea in the game at Anfield, as Liverpool will be heavy favorites going into the Carabao Cup match.